Welcome to Conduit Group

At Conduit Recruitment we deal exclusively with the recruitment of construction and property professionals worldwide. Our clients include companies who derive an income from property and construction including consultants, engineers, developers, contractors, banks, institutions, public authorities, councils, retailers, corporates and property owners

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Seeking Employment in the UK?

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about working in or moving to the United Kingdom - or the Motherland as we like to refer to it!

1. What sort of visa do I need ?

To work in the UK for more than 6 months you will need a work permit and a visa.

The work permit is obtained by the employer .The work permit scheme lets UK employers recruit or transfer people from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), while still protecting the interests of resident workers in the UK.

You will need a visa if you hold a work permit valid for more than six months (unless you are a British national or within the EEA). A visa is a certificate that is put into your passport or travel document by an Entry Clearance Officer at a British mission overseas. The visa gives you permission to enter the UK. You will need to fill in a visa application form (VAF 1 - non-settlement). You can apply by visiting your nearest British mission overseas where there is a visa section. Applications can be made on-line.

For more visa and work permit information go to: www.ukvisas.gov.uk


2. Are my professional and academic qualifications recognised in the UK ?

In general they are recognised but there is no substitute for the local professional qualifications. However many of the UK Institutions have reciprocity agreements with international partners. For example the RICS Oceania division has reciprocal agreements with:

  • Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS)
  • Australian Property Institute (API)
  • Institute of Surveyors (ISA)

3. What sort of salary package can I expect ?

Remuneration packages in the UK for construction and property professionals can be world beating. The stirling currency is very strong and, due to a general overall shortage of professional skills, salaries have sky rocketed over the last 5 years. You should remember however that it can be very expensive to live in the UK - especially London.

Obviously salaries depend on age, experience and abilities but the average salary of a property professional in the UK (London & South East) is around £42 - £45k per annum with benefits, bonuses, and cars etc all varying from company to company. However in our experience candidates without local experience may have to settle for approximately 10% less initially.

For a detailed look at salaries and trends view the recent RICS Salary Survey for the UK on our website on the News page: www.conduitgroup.com.au/news.htm


4. Do employers pay for relocation expenses ?

Yes they do but usually only for senior positions. These expenses usually take the form of actual payments for flights and initial accommodation costs as well as lump sum amounts added to a salary package on offer.


5. Is it possible to obtain a job offer whilst outside the UK ?

Occassionally this is possible - especially for the high demand positions such as Quantity Surveyors and Town Planners. Many of our clients are international companies that can organise interviews in their offshore branch offices such as Australia and Hong Kong. Failing this interviews can be organised over the phone or via video conference.

However there is no substitute for jumping on a plane and talking to prospective employers on the ground. This shows commitment and employers like that - they are paranoid about time wasters and tyre kickers. If you're smart you may be able to persuade them to reimburse you for the flight cost - if you don't ask you won't get!


6. So what do I do now ?

Firstly you need to make the decision to move and for the right reason. A move to the UK is a move for your career to a market that is mature, very well established and one of the most progressive in the world. A four year stint in the UK will do wonders for your resume - you will be a much more attractive proposition afterwards.

The next step is to apply for a position within the relevant profession and attend interviews via video conference, at a local branch office or by actually flying over to the UK. If you haven't been to the UK before this is a good opportunity to have a look around - no use applying for positions within a country that you will not be happy in. If you secure a position then the employer will apply for your work permit and you can then apply for a visa.

Talk to us and we can help you through the process.

Remember offshore employers are very wary of offshore applications. They are fed up with candidates that are simply 'thinking' of a move as well as candidates that actually make it but then only last a few weeks and leave due to culture shock. I think the message here is that you need to be clear in your motives and positive in your actions.