Foreigner become UK trainee driver

[Cooke]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, but can see that this is a great resource and community.

My question regards the situation of people from outside the UK or EU becoming a UK train driver. I am from the US myself, but lived and studied in the UK once and would love to return permanently. I also aspire to become a train driver.

Given how stiff the competition can be to become a train driver anyway, I worry that the added trouble and expense to a company of work visas would basically make it impossible to get hired from America as a trainee.

Does anyone think a UK train company would even consider hiring an American trainee driver? Is there any hope? The chances sound slim. Would one's prospects be better if I first became trained as a driver in the US? Any other ideas? What makes a highly desirable candidate?

To be clear, I am not seeking official visa advice, but only your ideas, and advice as to how to make myself more marketable. Have you known or heard of any Americans (or elsewhere) working as UK train drivers?

Many thanks for your help and consideration. Your thoughts on this question will probably be helpful to many others.

Great forum!

NCooke

 

[Robcuk]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, but can see that this is a great resource and community.

My question regards the situation of people from outside the UK or EU becoming a UK train driver. I am from the US myself, but lived and studied in the UK once and would love to return permanently. I also aspire to become a train driver.

Given how stiff the competition can be to become a train driver anyway, I worry that the added trouble and expense to a company of work visas would basically make it impossible to get hired from America as a trainee.

Does anyone think a UK train company would even consider hiring an American trainee driver? Is there any hope? The chances sound slim. Would one's prospects be better if I first became trained as a driver in the US? Any other ideas? What makes a highly desirable candidate?

To be clear, I am not seeking official visa advice, but only your ideas, and advice as to how to make myself more marketable. Have you known or heard of any Americans (or elsewhere) working as UK train drivers?



Many thanks for your help and consideration. Your thoughts on this question will probably be helpful to many others.

Great forum!

NCooke

Hi

Hmmm I'd be very surprised if companies sponsored people from overseas - why would they? There is so much interest and so many applications it's not as if there is a shortage.

I am guessing though, I could be wrong?

I'd suggest obtaining the right to work in the uk be it from a UK perspective or from the EU.

Good luck though.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Hi fella,

Can't comment on specifics, but most companies looking for trainees will ask on your application if you have a permanent right to reside in the UK in your own right, and don't offer visa sponsorship. So to stand any chance of getting a job you would already have to have UK citizenship or indefinite leave to remain on your US passport. So for example, being sponsored by a different company to do a different job wouldn't cut it.

I would say being already qualified in the states will stand you in good stead at getting a job, but you won't have UK rules knowledge so would have to still apply as a trainee coming over.

Hope this helps,
TTT

 

[yerman164]

As the other posters have said, it would not be possible to come directly over to the UK to work as a train driver.

A train company would have to sponsor you on a Tier 2 visa, which they won't do. Even if they wanted to, they couldn't do that because a train driver job isn't on the shortage occupation list and a train company would not be able to show that they couldn't find a settled UK worker to do the job (1000's of suitable applicants).

Your only option as tiptoptaff mentioned would be to first get Indefinite Leave to Remain via another route not related to train driving and then you could apply for train driver jobs in the UK. There are various ways to obtain ILR, but depending on your circumstances they are not particularly easy, cost a lot of money and will take a minimum of 3 years. You can PM me if you want about these options as they're not related to this forum.

 

[theironroad]

This topic was covered in depth a while back in another thread, it might be worth doing a search.

However, the blunt answer is no a company won't sponsor you. Your best bet would be to find an alternative of getting permanent residency, then join the throng after trainee jobs.

I can't speak for all companies, but my employer requires mainline drivers to have a permanent right to work in the UK due to the costs of training and getting a productive return on that cost. Other roles require from 6-24 months to be remaining on a work visa before consideration.

Wish I could be more positive...but its just as hard for non-eu citizens to get a work visa in the UK as it is for Brits etc to get a green card for working in the USA...trust me...!

 

[craigybagel]

Both my current and my previous railway employer made me bring my passport in on my starting day to prove my eligibility to work in the UK, as someone who wasn't born in this country.

 

[Cooke]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the helpful and informative posts from those of you 'on the inside'. It sounds at least as difficult or worse than expected, but it is good at least to know where one stands. So thanks!

NCooke

 

[drazky]

.......

 

[amateur]

LOL what is the problem to drive in a great big country like USA???!!
No trains there?

my friend from the middle east couldn't grasp the concept of trains. they were only ever use to cars (or camels)

 

[Phil.]

I believe that there used to be - perhaps she's still there - a Spanish girl driving for East Coast (as was).
As for taking on a U.S. citizen well, why not provided the person has a work permit and leave to stay in the U.K.

 

[bb21]

My experience suggests that most TOC will not take on anyone subject to limited time immigration control on driver training. For all other roles, six months minimum is required on your existing visa. There may br exceptions but i am not aware of any.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I believe that there used to be - perhaps she's still there - a Spanish girl driving for East Coast (as was).
As for taking on a U.S. citizen well, why not provided the person has a work permit and leave to stay in the U.K.

Work permit has to be applied for by the employer, not the individual. In the current points-based system, unless it is a shortage occupation, there is a huge cost in the attempt to satisfy the requirements laid down by the Home Office (or whatever it is called these days) for other occupations
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Oops just seen someone's said pretty much the same thing before me.