How do I know if I can legally work in the UK?

Clarkey:

drexelalum11:

You don't have permission to work in London. You'll need a visa to work in London; because the UK government are being protectionist dickheads, there are fewer Tier 1 visas available, and banks are probably not going to be willing to sponsor you.

This sort of sentiment really pisses me off as it is a two way deal. As a British student I would face identical restrictions if I wanted to move elsewhere. The UK is a TINY country and the visa restrictions REFLECT THESE INHERENT PRACTICALITIES. Given its size, the US is a different gravy altogether and is far better positioned to handle this conflict between capacity and demand.

For example, many UK students are annoyed that foreign students are taking up places on UK Undergraduate programmes. This is completely justified, as it is their parents who pay the taxes that subsidize the education system. There are only a handful of outstanding British Universities, so why would they want to be educated elsewhere - it's not their fault that the rest of the world, asides from the US, has failed to step up. Granted, international students pay higher fees, but these fees are still often well below what they would pay as a domestic student in their home country.

This dilemma has transitioned into the job market. It is only natural for the British government to seek to help its working age population. What would be its incentive for penalizing its electorate? I could understand it if the UK was as large as the US and international students were all fucking genius level Quantum Physicists, but they aren't. In fact, they are probably par at best.

So, my question to you is this: why do you expect the British government to disadvantage its own working age population in order to advantage other people instead?

It is only natural for the British government to help its native students - that is what it is there for. I was fortunate to be educated at a US University on an athletic scholarship. I am eternally grateful for this but I would NEVER in a million years expect the US government to hold my interests in higher regard than a US international.

You may say that the international candidate adds much diversity in many aspects. The visa restrictions incorporate this consideration and ensures that this diversity compliments rather than consumes.

Don't be ignorant. Firstly, US immigration policies are as dumb or dumber than UK policies. Secondly, as a city-state (realistically, nothing outside of London is economically viable or worthwhile), the UK's "inherent practicalities" dictate that it is incredibly DEPENDENT on foreign talent and workers. Do you think that banks and multinationals will continue to locate in London if they can't employ the foreign workers they want to? I've got news for you, buddy - there aren't enough smart British kids to cut it.

Visa restrictions have nothing to do with helping the British people; if anything, they disadvantage the British people. They're blatant xenophobia, and appeal to your basest instincts. The UK could not function with out foreign talent, and if you want to keep being protectionist dickheads, we're more than happy to pack up our bags and go somewhere else.