How hard is it for a non-EU citizen to find a job in London?
Hi everyone. I have been admitted to LSE MSc Finance program and am trying to see if I stand a chance to find a job in London after graduation. Any advice is much appreciated.
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Most big names sponsor visas and you aren't discriminated on these grounds. Its just a bit of paperwork to do thats all.
Thanks for the reply. What I worry about is that it is harder for non-EU's to find jobs. I don't have any relevant work experience that would set me apart and I think that employers would prefer to hire my European classmates at least to avoid the hussle with sponsoring me. I am hearing that this is often the case and don't know if doing my masters at LSE is a good decision.
As the guy above said. Most big companies in finance have allocated sponsorship visa for summer internships etc. and don’t exclude you based on that.
Small firms tend to sponsor less but not impossible.
So yes its a bit harder to find work, but not a lot harder if you are good.
What’s your alternative anyway ... ?
My alternative is to defer my offer for a year and get some more experience. I am told that having prior experience can greatly increase the chance of getting a job as a non-EU.
All BBs and EBs (except Centerview) sponsor non EU and non-Europeans I know of have had no extra difficulties getting jobs. If you don't get a spot from LSC MSc Finance, that is entirely on you.
Don't worry brother, I heard the amount of Non-EU citizens in London will increase very soon
LOL
It's not going to be an issue so long that you use your university network to help yourself. The name does most of the part.
it's harder but definitely doable. What can be particularly problematic in your case is the lack of relevant experience, meaning that BBs and EBs won't necessarily look your way. Normally you could fix that by interning at smaller companies but I am not sure how this is going to work in your case. Some of them may take you while you are on the student visa.
Either way, the easiest way to secure an FT gig would be through applying for a summer internship at the very start of your academic year at LSE. But doing so would require you to have already a decent profile. Therefore, deferring a year and trying to secure an off-cycle at some boutique place might be ideal in your case.
Thanks a lot for the advice. If I defer my offer, I am thinking about interning at a Big 4 advisory in my home country + passing CFA Level 1 and 2 + trying to find a summer internship in London before I start my MSc. What do you think? Do these steps make sense? Is CFA a good idea?
Well advisory at Big 4 is a big Yay! Especially if you have it secured, meaning that the deferred year won't be wasted. After you have done that, landing a summer gig in London next year shouldn't be a problem. There is bare small boutique shops, family shops and niche AMs. Good luck.
I am not entirely sure about CFA - haven't seen that many students with it. But I would imagine it wouldn't hurt. I'd say if you can do Big 4 advisory then with LSE MSc your profile will be strong enough to compete for summer places at BBs and EBs. But then again, take my advice with a pinch of salt.
In a wider context, I think you should mainly worry not about visa-related problems, but about landing a FT gig at the end of your master's. You have just one year, meaning that you have essentially one shot at on-campus recruiting.
Please be more specific when you say "non-EU". Are you from a developed or developing country? Americans, Canadians and Japanese would have a way easier time than Moroccans, Pakistanis and Paraguayans for instance.
I am from a developing country.
What languages do you speak?
Agree with you. And it also depends on what kind of occupation a person is looking for and what experience he/she has
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