The British government in its recent update has indicated that the country needs teachers from different countries including from Nigeria.
Applicants for teaching jobs from overseas need a visa or other immigration status allowing them to work in the UK.
Most other applicants will need a skilled worker visa, which their employer must sponsor.
In this case, the sponsor can be the school where they work, the local authority, or an academy trust.
It is important to note that sponsors must have a ‘worker licence’, sometimes referred to as an ‘employer licence’.
According to the update, applicants with graduate visa, high potential individual visa, youth mobility scheme will not need to be sponsored.
Graduate visa
Who can apply?
International students in the UK who have been sponsored by an eligible Home Office licensed student sponsor over the course of their studies can apply for a graduate visa on successful completion of their degree.
Benefits: The graduate visa allows holders to work, or look for work, in the UK for up to 2 years after completing their studies (3 years for PhD students) without a sponsor.
This includes:
- working as a teacher
- training to teach on a salaried course or through a teaching apprenticeship
Those with graduate visa can switch from a graduate visa to another visa (such as the skilled worker visa) without having to leave the UK if they meet the requirements for their new visa.
High potential individual visa
To be eligible for a high potential individual visa, teachers must:
- have a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or PhD from a university listed in the global universities list
- have been awarded their qualification no more than 5 years before they apply
- have English language skills to B1 intermediate level
- have personal funds of £1,270
- pass a security and criminality check
They do not need an offer of a teaching job to apply for this visa and they’ll be able to stay in the UK for 2 years with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, and 3 years with a PhD.
Read also: Norway is granting skilled workers entry visa to apply for residence/work permit
Youth mobility scheme
Anther type of visa which do not sponsorship according to the update is the youth mobility scheme which allows young people from certain countries to come to the UK each year to study or work without a sponsoring educational institution or sponsoring employer. This includes working as a teacher.
A youth mobility scheme visa lasts up to 2 years. Holders can switch from the youth mobility scheme visa to another visa (such as the skilled worker visa) without having to leave the UK if they meet the requirements for their new visa.
Similarly, applicants with the following types of visa will not need to be sponsored, according to the update.
Dependents
People who have permission to live in the UK as a dependent (usually partner or child) of someone on a student visa or a skilled worker visa will not need to be sponsored. They can work without a sponsor for the duration of their partner’s or parent’s visa.
Schools can recruit teaching and education support staff from overseas for any subject or age range, as well as send practitioners.
Schools are advised to use Teaching Vacancies service to advertise teaching jobs and other school roles.
Another change the UK is making is the way it awards its Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to teachers from overseas.
From 1 February 2023, teachers from the following countries including Nigeria who qualified as teachers, will also be able to apply to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) for QTS
- Ghana
- Hong Kong
- India
- Jamaica
- Nigeria
- Singapore
- South Africa
- Ukraine
- Zimbabwe
Teachers from all eligible countries will have to show they meet a consistent set of criteria for the award of QTS. Over time, this route will be opened to qualified teachers from every country outside the UK.
This will ensure all non-UK teachers awarded QTS meet the same high standards, while also increasing opportunities for highly qualified teachers wherever they trained.
Learn more about the apply for QTS in England service and the new criteria for overseas teachers applying for QTS.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
