Advice: Don't go to London to make money or gain experience!

I was a 30 year old established paralegal making 58k in a very secure job in Vancouver. Felt the need to get out though so applied for the YMS UK visa in late July 2010 (which was very easy to do on my own and took approx 2 weeks) a few months before my 31st birthday. I wanted to get meaningful international experience so didn't really want to dick around with customer service jobs. Anyhoo, that failed.

I got an awesome fare deal of $250 inclusive of tax one way on Air Transat and got into London Nov 2010. I was let into the country, although I heard that someone was denied entry with only a 1 way ticket.

I tried to do all of my preparing beforehand: Lloyd's bank account, research on housing, doing the work visa but found that I couldn't really do anything until I arrived in the UK.

Housing: Stayed at the YHA Central for the first 3 weeks. People had food stolen. I only had 1 egg taken. Lots of mini fridges and cubbies which are unassigned. Kitchen was cleaned all the time and felt very safe. Great hostel and always full. 20 min walk to Oxford street or Tottenham Court Road. I walked everywhere. Even down to Chinatown and to Buckingham Palace and beyond (it's a long walk though). Had pre-booked 2 weeks and extended my stay. Met lots of other youths (and adults) using the hostel for transient temp housing. For the adults, it was cheaper and nicer than perm housing. For the youths, 20-30 y.o, it would be a primary, safe base from which they could chat with others, make friends and secure a network. I moved into the Belvedere House, an LHA housing in Gloucester Road, which had sub-clean kitchen facilities, decent, clean beds and was very close to the tube station (very very difficult to get into and not pre-bookable). Went from paying 20 pounds a day to 98 pounds a week. (They have since raised their rates though!) Had a locked kitchen cabinet to put my food and free wi-fi but had to buy my kitchen equipment and share a room with 3 other girls. I moved in and felt unsafe and constantly locked up my luggage. (I had a padlock and bikelock which I used on my luggage to keep it closed - very handy when I left my luggage at the YHA baggage room). However, I eventually felt safe enough to only lock up my valuables (computer) in my lockable drawer. I'd have to say that it was pretty much a dump but the other flats that I saw(145 pound/week near Goodge Street - a very good location and price apparently! or 80 pound/week in room of a friend's house near wimbledon - zone 3!) weren't that much better compared to our North American standards. Be prepared to suck it up.

People: People were depressed and suspicious of friendliness. People didn't smile or greet others. I became the light in a lot of people's lives (even the bank officer invited me to come back and let him know how I was doing) because life is pretty miserable there. It's amazing how many people told me that, foreigners and locals alike.

Jobs: I met a lot of Canadians on the YMS and Europeans trying find work in London because economies in their respective countries were dismal. The Canadians were young new grads who got jobs quickly though! One got a job at a high end boutique. The other got hired at a sports facility as a memberships officer. I got interviews for: 1. an operations manager at a gym on the thames and 2. an office manager for a architectural firm. Salaries were dismal though: 15-20k with 9 hour days. Harsh. The europeans were treated horridly. One Italian working at a high end italian restaurant: 30 pounds a day, not by the hour and no tips. Food worker in a hotel: paid for 8 hours but worked 11 hours a day. I eventually stepped into a starbucks to see if I'd get hired (worked at starbucks for 4 years) and got hired by starbucks @ 6.30 pounds an hour. I was envied. I tried hard but couldn't find a job doing what i wanted: sent emails to job ads on gumtree(some are scam emails), signed up to caterer.com, visited hotels, shops, agencies and cold called companies. Did unsolicited letters to HR, lawyers family and friends of friends even out of London. I contemplated going out of London but the jobs I wanted were in the city.

Miscellaneous: I felt safe walking by myself even at odd hours within London. I stayed away from south London, which people told me to do.

NIS Number: This was easy. I made the call and gave them my address. They sent a package in the mail which I filled out and mailed out again. The LHA housing prepared me a letter to say that I was in residence there to show when I went for my interview but I didn't have to go in for an interview. I got my NIS card after I left London (6 weeks)?

Banking: This was a pain. I had issues with Lloyds as they needed job info from me. I had none. Plus I didn't want to pay a monthly fee. I ended up not setting up a bank account until I got a job offer. The LHA housing prepared me a letter to say that I was in residence there but Barclays wouldn't accept it - they took my NIS letter as an acceptable document. So Barclays took copies of my NIS letter, my passport, my canadian bank letter and my job information (i gave them the company info even before i secured a job) and I got a free bank account. I liked Barclays because if I went traveling around Europe, I could use the debit card.

Cost of Living: I was quite pleased with my ability to save money. I averaged 3 pound a day on food because I cooked and never ate out. Walked everywhere and in total spent less than 2500 Canadian during my 2 months there, including EVERYTHING. I walked to Portobello Road Market and got a 6 pound wool coat at the flea market, shopped at the pound store there and bought discounted near closing time specials on the street market 1 pound = 1 basket of fruit/veggies there. I went to both Tesco and Sainsbury to check out their discounted foods and only bought the Tesco sandwich/drink/chips 2 pound special once.

Summary and recommendation: Poorly paid customer service jobs are easy to get for Canadians. If you are young, don't have career opportunities or responsibilities and have the financial freedom to do the working holiday, lucky you! Go for 6 months with the intent to work for 4-5 months to fund your 1-2 months of European travel. Don't waste more time there though.

That's a very interesting history of your trip.

I think it illustrates an almost universal truth about moving to another country - that being if you're already established and doing well in the country you're in, you're unlikely to do better somewhere else. Not impossible, but unlikely. It's particularly difficult if you go without a job already arranged.

The reason? As soon as you go to another country you're very likely starting from the bottom again. You don't have your old network, and employers always find it easier to take on a local whose qualifications they can understand, and who's background is easy to check into.

I know many people who've tried to move to Canada, and many voice many of the same complaints as you have made.

Despite it wasn't all you hoped, my bet is in years to come, you'll look back on your UK trip with affection!

I think the 2nd poster said it very well - it happens to anyone moving countries - not just Canadians making the move to London. I also think if you already know someone and can receive help from them it will make a world of difference.

It sounds like an interesting experience but an experience nonetheless. You would probably be kicking yourself in the future if you at least didn't try making the move.

I think the one thing that may have made your experience a better one is if you had found a flat share and felt you had a real home in London rather than a room in what sounds like a dorm style accommodation. If you choose well your flatmates can become your extended family.

As for work, things have changed quite a bit in the job market since I moved here in 2007. I know a few Brits who after losing their jobs have struggled finding jobs, and have themselves ended up taking what they can get at a lower pay than they previously had. I personally have found myself far better off here in London, but I come from NS, and I see London as full of opportunity.

One other thing I think is important when setting in England/London is to make friends with some Brits (they may not seem friendly but once you break the ice, they are a lovely bunch), they can be a great source of information on how things work. For example how they go about job hunting in the UK is quite different than Canada I find, using job agencies mostly.

And finally, make the most of all London has to offer, there is so much to see and do, most museums are free, each part of London is so different from another you could spend years just wandering around exploring.

I would guess that most people who give living abroad a try don't regret it, but if one never took the leap, they probably would always wonder what if....

http://bluenosegirl.com

I can understand your situation completely!! I'm living in Birmingham and trying to find a job in my field (I've also even been applying in London there is such little work here). I've had several interviews but have not been successful for one to date! In Canada I have never had any problems in getting a job and usually am the successful candidate, despite it being quite competitive. I don't understand what is going on here?! I am being turned down for jobs that well below my experience and educational level even.

It is incredibly frustrating, and I completely agree, don't come here for experience in your field, or even looking for a job, for that matter! Brits have been telling me it takes months to get a decent job because of the bad economy, but being a foreigner, I imagine that's just one more barrier.

Good luck to people coming here looking for a job, especially outside of London...

Hello,
I read these forums quite a lot, and after reading this one I thought I would reply to also state my experience here in London. I moved out here 3 years ago to get married to a british man. The first year, I was not allowed to work because of visa restrictions.
The first 6 months away from home, I found it very difficult to adjust to life here. I was all alone, had no one to talk to whilst my husband was at work all day, and I had nothing to keep me occupied in the meantime other than facebook. After a year, I was able to apply for work which I did, and I managed to find a suitable job within an office. I tried my hardest to blend in at work, to do my best and to meet some people at work that I had something in common with. That did not happen. I ended up working for an absolute psycho who threw things, cursed and swore at me, and had nothing but negative things to say about the rest of the company/people working for the company. After 1 year of that, I decided to get the hell out of there and I quit.
Needless to say, I was very very demoralised, and also very depressed that things weren't working out.
I left my job in the new year, and have since been searching for work. I have yet to find anything suitable, and am really regretting moving here in the first place. I love my husband very much, but england is NOT the place for canadians who are used to kind, open and friendly people.
To sum this up, I have to agree with the first person who posted, the people and life itself, is just miserable here. I would give ANYTHING to move back to canada.

Thanks for everyone's posts. Yeah, I don't regret going to the UK but I'm glad I didn't waste more time and money there. I do feel bad for all of the new friends that I left behind. The guilt of having the option to bail while those others couldn't was hard. can102 - I feel so bad for you. Maybe you can convince your husband to move back to Canada. My old university classmate has been in Paris/London for the past 10 years and is fed up with it and is moving back to Vancouver this year.

Here's an update on one of the Canadian YMS friends that I did make during the time that I was in London.. He has left his job and is now traveling around Europe after around 6 months of working and is planning on coming back to Canada after that - definitely won't be using up his entire 2 year visa period. Good thing he didn't lock into a year long lease.

I've been living in London for more than 2 years now, and can empathise with the feelings of missing Canada, wondering if it was the right decision to come here, and pondering the move back.

I'm wondering if it is different for Canadians who don't live in London (or any of the major cities). Anyone who lives/works outside the cities - do you have the same feelings?

I live in a nice town 35 miles from London and I still miss Canada and Canadian people. Like can102, I also married a British man and have been here for 4 years. Well, kind of. I had a visa the first 2 years and was pretty unhappy. The past 2 years I have been a Canadian resident splitting my time between Canada and England. That worked for me, but my husband doesn't like it so I will be applying for the spousal visa and becoming a UK resident again in August. I'm much more comfortable with the North American mindset and people, but my husband won't consider leaving England so hopefully I'll adapt better this time around.

But...it's not as if everyone's experience in London goes this way.

I came to London in 2004, aged 21, on a 2 year Working Holiday Visa. I lived at the Generator Hostel in Bloomsbury for 2 months, during which time I met my future husband. I got a job (retail, but that was what I was qualified for) that came along with wonderful co-workers, decent hours and pay that was fit for retail in London. My husband, then 24, came from OZ to get London experience in investment banking - and did he ever. Maybe he lucked out with the recruitment firm he was using, or timing, but he spent over a year in a contract position earning okay money, and then moved to a stable full-time + bonus position at a Hedgefund in Mayfair.

We got married in London, moved from Camden to Wandsworth (South London is actually rather nice, not sure why the whole area gets a bad rap), and had 2 kids at two different London hospitals (both experiences were wonderful, and I feel like the care I got was better than friends were getting back in Canada). We made [British] friends and generally enjoyed ourselves.

Eventually we moved back to Canada so I could finish my university degree and we could be closer to my family. Big mistake. We never found our feet, despite my husband landing a great job. We found ourselves desperately missing the UK, so we decided to come back after 3 years of trying hard to make Toronto work. That's right: we chose the UK over Canada (this surprises people all the time). There are SO many things I prefer about the UK, from how cheap mobiles are monthly, to how close we are to awesome days out (we live in South Kent, surrounded by castles and zoo's), to the NHS (which came through for me in a BIG way just this past week).

I actually have a tattoo of London's coordinates because my decision to uproot my life resulted in an amazing marriage, 2 wonderful children and a pretty good life now that we're back "home." Experience doesn't always have to be career-related, life experience is pretty important too. And we have made money, my husband's job in London now (he commutes via high speed rail daily) pays substantially more than he could ever earn in Toronto - it just took a while to climb various ladders to get better positions.