working holiday in the UK

[coldhardbitch]

hi,

This is a little of topic, but from watching th tri-nations, i have caught the travel bug, and i am planning on doing a working holiday for a year or 2 in the UK (travelling europe when i can).

I was wondering if anyone here (aussies/kiwis) had been on a working holiday over in the UK, or is currently on one.

If you have any tips on how to apply for a work permit, best places to live and stay. how to arrange work over there, or just any stories from when you went, it would be great.

and if anyone has a desire to go over there, what u wanna do over there and such. this is just a general thread on working holidayz over there anyway, that i may be able to get information from.
I thought the internationalists here would be interested, as we all seem interested in whats going on overseas league wise, and would desire to go there (especially cos there is far more international footy there than in oz)

 

[Costaki]

my friend is in the uk at the moment doin a working holiday. He got all the details of his manager than he had some other meetings with managers and shit and they will help u get everything in order. Place to stay,money,passport etc

 

[ali]

I haven't done the full working holiday thing, and have a UK passport so can't help with visas, but I've worked there for 6 weeks so will give you my opinion.

I arrived there with the intention of working in London, like most do, but got impatient after 5 days of not finding work and rediculous expenses. So I headed north, caught a RL game in St Helens, visited historic York, and finished up in Leeds. Walked into a recruitment agency picked up work in Leeds straight away, and stayed for 6 weeks.

If you want to meet loads of other Aussie's, Kiwis and South Africans, go to London. If you want to meet poms and experience English culture, go somewhere else. And as I'd expect you want to see some Rugby League, go north. I thought Leeds was a pretty cool place. Not too big, but plenty of work, lots of great pubs and clubs, and surrounded by Rugby League teams. And as the Leeds Rhinos are currently champions, I'd expect Headingly will be rocking next season. The year I was there, everyone was on a downer, crowds were as low as 8000, but the atmosphere was still incredable. The south stand at Leeds is the best atmos I've experienced at a sporting ground.

Just one thing to be wary of, the wages in Leeds are no where as good as the mega bucks a well qualified person can make in London. But if you wanna actually meet some poms, then go north.

 

[THE*STORM*IDENTITY]

Hi there,

I'm currently half way thru my Working hOliday Visa. Ali gave you a lot of good information.

I'm currently living in London, and as already mentioned, there are heaps of Aussies & Kiwis in London.

Probably some good websites for you to check are:
www.workingholidayguru.com (That will give you info about obtaining a Working Visa and what to pack)

www.thegumtree.com (Website for all Aussies & Kiwis in London - Find a job, a room, housemates etc etc here)

www.tntmagazine.com (See the gumtree.com)

There's more info I can give you but I need to get back to work.

 

[Bullseye]

You may get paid megabucks in London but everything costs megabucks too so it doens't make any difference.

You're better off in the north. It's a bit cheaper, friendlier and more RL to choose from. Plus much nicer countryside.

 

[inertia666]

london is a shithole.

 

[coldhardbitch]

thanx alot guys. i am looking to go in 2007. hopefully i can connect with some people over here who want to go over at the same time (so i dont have to travel by myself)

 

[Copa]

Go straight to the source. Look at UK government embassy/high commission etc websites.

 

[borat]

Did a 12 month working holiday in 2001 but had an acestral Visa. I lived in London for 6 months and loved every bit of it. Would go back in a flash. Do your reseach, the websites listed are definitely worth checking out. It all depends on what you want to get out of it. Unless you have a select profession where you can earn a tidy salary, you will basically just earn enough to get by. Cost of living is much much greater and salaries are comparably low in London. So its very tough to save much money while you are over there. So basically you end up living in a dump and earning peanuts, and the weather is crappy. But what I got out of it was I was prepared to put up with all that because London is an awesome city to live in, the experience was worth it all. I work in fairly high pressure job here in Australia so I saved alot of money before I left and then went and worked in completely different jobs like in a bar and in Harrods. I didn't have to worry about saving money so there was no pressure, just enjoyed myself. And the other 6 months of the year I was travelling around europe. If you go over accepting that it won't be like Australia and I won't have some of the luxuries you are used to back home for the experience of a lifetime you will get alot out of it.

 

[Moffo]

True all that, im in the UK at the moment on a holiday and London is definitely too expensive. Up north is cheaper. I just came from Liverpool actually and am currently in Manchester. To be honest, i found Liverpool a bit boring...Manchester seems much more lively so far and is a bit inland which is good (coastal winds are pretty rocking in Liverpool based on what I saw)

I like London for a holiday but i couldn't live there. The weather is pretty harsh and unless you find a decent spot to live (which means you will be paying heaps) you will pretty much live in a shit place

But yeh, its definitely a great place to visit. Europe is awesome as well and well worth the trip

Cheers,
Moffo

 

[DIEHARD]

Thanks for the info Moffo, borat, ali and THE*STORM*IDENTITY, welcome to the board too by the way.

I'm sure alot of us are tossing up the idea of a UK trip next year after this fantastic Tri Nations series. Maybe we could get a LU crew to go. :lol:

Apparently alot of tours to UK had to be canceled because of lack of interest, I'm sure that situation will improve next year. But I think it would be better to go over independantly.

Enjoy your holiday Moffo, when are you due back in Australia?

 

[Moffo]

Gday mate,

Yeh UK is definitely worth it. Just save up on money and you should have some fun. Not sure about the independent thing. Im doing it at the moment, but if your only planning to holiday...i guess it depends on your personality. You really do need to get out there and meet people, if not, it will be a pretty lonely time!

i should be back on the 30th of Nov/1st Dec

Cheers,
Moffo

 

[DIEHARD]

Are you going back next year Moffo? Or has your adventure blown a hole in your budget for the next 3 years?

 

[Moffo]

Should be right to travel again in 2032

Na, id love to mate. I may have the money but i think ill need to knuckle down in the job that im starting next year for a while

 

[bartman]

coldhardbitch, try: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ or http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk/ for all the official info, forms etc.

I'm 8 months into my two year visa. Once you get a job you won't notice the costs you spent on travel as much. It's all good, but I headed straight up North after just three weeks. Either you're a London person, or you aren't, and it won't take you long to work it out.

Moffo, you're right about Manchester v Liverpool, I thought the same thing. Manchester seems a pretty cool place from what I've seen. Leeds is OK and worth a look too. Am checking Hull out this weekend, but even people up here seem to describe it as "gruff"? :?

 

[THE*STORM*IDENTITY]

Thanks for the info Moffo, borat, ali and THE*STORM*IDENTITY, welcome to the board too by the way.

Thanks for the welcome.

London isn't too bad - you do get used to the council estates, high prices, the pollution, the grime and bumping into an Ar5eholes everyday :^o

I would definitely check out up north and the midlands also.
I've been informed by people that it's definitely cheaper cost of living, good jobs and friendlier people!

But Coldhardbitch - good luck and have fun!

BTW it was a Good day on Saturday with the Aussies doing the double :badgrin:

 

[aussie_londoner]

im 10 months into a 4 year ancestral visa and i live in london, absolutley love it, i lucked it with a job, so i have a high paying job with a company car, and i live in a really nice part of town.

BUT

other mates i have met over here dont earn as much or live as well, living in large house shares in shitty suburbs on low incomes and dont travel quite as often.

BUT

they still love it, so long as you can live with house sharing, and are keen to work, you will probably love it as much as i do. it so close to europe, there is so much on offer here. i will definately be staying for the duration of my visa, then i get the right to remain, then after 1 more year, i get a passport. and because i can prove that myself and my girlfriend have been living together for 2 years and have a joint bank account (travel money account but they dont need to know) she can stay on my visa once her 2 year working holiday visa is up.

definately go north in london but, NW or W is where its at in london

 

[Moffo]

How did Hull go bartman? I had the chance to go over there but ran into a serious bout of the flu which made me shelve those plans....I would've liked to have gone south as well, but being winter and all, i figured that it would be quite cold so i thought id best save that for another trip

Devout, you raise a question or two. Especially with the accomodation. I'm not sure if i was looking in the wrong places, but much of the accomodation throughout England looked miserable. I mean, small houses that are run down with no backyard. Is this generally the story over there? I couldn't stand that. Coming from Oz and all, i couldn't imagine living without all the modernities of a house and a decent backyard. Does the weather annoy? It did for mine.....

I mean, the vibe is excellent and I do love London. I'd say ill go back one day, but not during winter :lol: I also hope to get back to Amsterdam :mrgreen: , see the Hague, go back to Paris and gown through Greece/Spain

Cheers,
Moffo