Australians and New Zealanders have a few different pathways that they can take to allow them to legally obtain the right to practise law in the UK. If an Australian lawyer wishes to qualify as a solicitor in the UK they will need to sit the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test.
UK businesses are aware of this and will usually be happy to employ Australian and New Zealanders with the right qualifications and experience.
For decades, London has been an attractive city for Australians and Kiwis who are seeking a change of scene. Australian lawyers need to obtain a work permit for the UK, but what’s great for the lawyer is that the process of getting the permit is mostly taken care of by the employer, who needs to apply for the work permit on their behalf.
It is not uncommon for London law firms to employ Australian qualified lawyers when they aren’t yet qualified to work in England, and then go on to obtain a working permit for them.
The legal market in London continues to flourish, opening up new opportunities for Australian lawyers.
In terms of Australian standards, however, the cost of living in London is extremely high. Despite this, Australian lawyers are attracted by the high salaries that London law firms have to offer them.
The UK has the 6th biggest economy in the world, but it was one of the worst hit by the GFC. Regardless of this, the UK is expected to flourish further in business prospects in the next decade.
London welcomes a big Australian expat community with over 100,000 Australian citizens living in the UK currently, with over half of these living in London alone.
One of the main reasons Australians are so attracted to life in London is down to what the city has to offer going beyond career opportunities. London is vibrant and full of fun activities, good places to dine and intriguing history to explore. On top of this, European cities such as Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and Rome are just a couple of hours on a flight away.
In addition, London is home to world-famous attractions such as the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and Big Ben, along with a vast variety of museums, art galleries, parks, theatres and other forms of entertainment. This immense set of variety is what makes London such an attractive city for Australian and Kiwi lawyers to immigrate to.
Final Thoughts
There are many reasons why London has become so popular for Australian and Kiwi lawyers to immigrate to. If you are thinking of immigrating to the UK to become a solicitor then it is entirely feasible for you to do so. Get in touch for more information.