{"id":2036,"date":"2021-08-07T15:21:22","date_gmt":"2021-08-07T15:21:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocate.me\/blog\/?p=2036"},"modified":"2025-04-07T11:57:15","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T11:57:15","slug":"moving-to-the-uk-for-a-tech-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocate.me\/blog\/expat-stories\/moving-to-the-uk-for-a-tech-job\/","title":{"rendered":"Moving to London for a Tech Job: Mahdi’s Relocation Story"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 13<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

The UK, particularly London, is one of the <\/span>top destinations<\/span><\/a> for software engineers looking for work. Many major tech companies have set up offices in London, and it’s also a magnet for many of <\/span>Europe’s promising startups<\/span><\/a>. There’s a lot to love about living in London<\/a>: world-class universities and schools, talented people in all fields, and lots of cultural diversity. For all these reasons, the capital of England is a popular target for relocation for many people in tech.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our team spoke with <\/span>Mahdi<\/span><\/a>, who found a job as a Tech Lead through <\/span>Relocate.me<\/span><\/a> and moved to London from Iran. We hope to guide and inspire you with this recap of our conversation if you’re interested in moving to the UK<\/a> to work in the tech industry. Get to know how to move and live in London!<\/span><\/p>\n

Here we go.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mahdi’s background<\/strong><\/span>
Home country:<\/strong> Iran
Tech experience:<\/strong> 15+ years
Current tech stack:<\/strong> .NET, Python, and Go
Passions outside of work:<\/strong> Fintech and cryptocurrencies<\/p>\n

\"Mahdi\"<\/p>\n

Why did you choose London as your destination for working abroad?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I had friends in the UK, and another advantage was that my family and I already spoke English, so we didn’t need to struggle with learning another language along with all the other pressures of moving. Speaking fluent English made the decision about relocation to London very much easier.<\/span><\/p>\n

You found your job in London through Relocate.me\u2014how did the site help with your search and move?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Relocate.me is specifically designed as a job board for <\/span>IT jobs that provide assistance for relocation<\/span><\/a>. The site also has a lot of <\/span>resources about relocation<\/span><\/a>, which are very helpful. It made the whole process easier.<\/span><\/p>\n

You’re working as a Technical Lead at Candesic. Can you talk about the interview process for this position?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I went through four rounds of interviews in total. First, there was a <\/span>screening interview<\/span><\/a>, which let me learn more about the position. Then I interviewed with the managing partner at the company, which was a general interview to determine whether I would be a good fit for the company and the position. After that, I met with some of their tech people to assess my skills and experience more directly. Finally, I met with the managing partner again to finish the deal.<\/span><\/p>\n

25 Questions To Ask Your Future Employer (Before Relocation) \u2192<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What did you have to do to get a UK work visa?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

To move to London from India or immigrate to the UK for work, you need a <\/span>Skilled Worker visa<\/span><\/a> [formerly a Tier 2 General work visa]. To get one, you need to have a job offer from a company in the UK that has a licence to sponsor you. After you get a job offer, the company will apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from the <\/span>Home Office<\/span><\/a>, which can take up to a month sometimes. Then the company will get you the CoS information and their sponsor licence number, and then you can apply for the work visa. You can do the whole thing online, including payments, through the UK’s government site. Your dependents and your family can get the same visa as part of your application.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are two fees that you have to pay:<\/span><\/p>\n