Hello all,I'm a Canadian citizen with 2 years experience as a management consultant and about to finish my MBA this year. I would love to move to the UK for my career and be closer to family. Any suggestions on how to go about the work visa route? Should I apply first for the visa? Or should I work towards obtaining a job offer and use the offer in my visa application?Any help is greatly appreciated.

The immigration rules for the UK have changed. Unless you plan on applying for a Tier 5 Youth Mobility (which as a Canadian I think you are eligible for) you will have to get sponsored by a firm in order to obtain a work visa.

You mention having family in England? As a commonwealth citizen with British family, I think you can get the 5-year ancestry visa, which gives full work authorization. Unless they've changed it with the most recent and unfortunate reforms... But I know a Canadian here now who has it.

Thanks for the replies!@big mac Unfortunately I'm no longer considered youth so Tier 5 is out of the question.@pie My family is uncles, aunts, cousins and more extended family. I wouldn't be able to show 'ancestry' the way it is required. The way I interpret it is you need show parents/grandparents are UK citizens. Is this what your friend did?Again, the replies are greatly appreciated!

You can only get ancestry if one of your grandparents were born in UK. I feel your pain as I am in a similar situation. I had to leave last year as my Tier 5 expired. I have been sponsored by a firm to come back, I signed the contracts in October and I am still waiting for my Certificate of Sponsorship to apply for the visa! That's the only way to come back I'm afraid.Good luck!

Well, I'll keep researching. But it looks as though I'll need to secure a job offer to make this happen.Thanks!