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Becoming a train driver in the UK
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Journeyman
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Unfortunately, I suspect that with the way things are currently going, that will be a fairly useless piece of paper in the UK come January 1st, and you'll have to start from scratch.
BrokenSam
Member
Certainly hold you in good stead I suspect. Definite headstart. 15 months training for stuff you mostly know sounds pretty fun if you can stomach the wage hit.
tiptoptaff
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The European license is a bit of a red herring. You would need to start entirely again, as all rules and traction will be completely different.
Thank you. Which train company would you recommend to apply? During the training how big the wage hit approximately?
tiptoptaff
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Wage hit depends entirely on what you already earn.
Average training salary is £28k - approximately €30k and lasts an average of a year
I guessed. But does it count when i'd like to apply?
tiptoptaff
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It may help in your interviews to give examples but you'll still need to go through the entire application process
theironroad
Established Member
Your first consideration, as your profile suggests you are in Hungary, is whether you will have a permanent right to live and work in the UK after the end of this year.
Without that right, no train company will hire you as a trainee for mainline driver due to the cost of training.
rakoczigabi
Member
Hi ,
If you live in Hungary you’ll need to get a “pre settled status” before the end of the year to be able to work here, after that it’s a points based system.
You can read more about that here :
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...igration-system-an-introduction-for-employers
I don’t think any uk TOC takes on drivers with EU licences , I know mine doesn’t , I’ve asked this questions a few months ago for a friend.
So you’d need to go through the whole application , assessment , interview process before you get into the training school.
But it’s not impossible to do as a foreigner.
I’m Hungarian and a trainee driver now over 12 months and still a fair way to go due to covid.
But I do know another Hungarian driver who’s qualified and he’s at my depot.
So as long as you go through the process and have the right to work here anything is possible. Good luck.
If you live in Hungary you’ll need to get a “pre settled status” before the end of the year to be able to work here, after that it’s a points based system.
You can read more about that here :
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...igration-system-an-introduction-for-employers
I don’t think any uk TOC takes on drivers with EU licences , I know mine doesn’t , I’ve asked this questions a few months ago for a friend.
So you’d need to go through the whole application , assessment , interview process before you get into the training school.
But it’s not impossible to do as a foreigner.
I’m Hungarian and a trainee driver now over 12 months and still a fair way to go due to covid.
But I do know another Hungarian driver who’s qualified and he’s at my depot.
So as long as you go through the process and have the right to work here anything is possible. Good luck.
KlaudiaV43
Member
Absolutely, this. Get your settled status sorted first and go from there.
(Hungarian trainee driver here too.
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