Information for chefs on where to find work in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including immigration & visas, health insurance, wage rates and conditions.

Where to find work

Newspapers in each town or city in the UK list employment positions. Check here for newspapers and their websites for each city. They each have an associated website with online employment advertisements.

Online employment agencies in Britain include Monster.co.uk where you can search by location and job type.

Health care and health insurance

UK residents are covered by the National Health Service, a free health care system. You may be eligible, depending on your residence status. See the information on NHS entitlements for people coming to work in the UK at the the Dept of Health website.

Wages, conditions and taxation

Wages and conditions are regulated in the United Kingdom by the Department of Trade & Industry. When you do a Google Search for a position, salary rates are indicated and, as usual, the hours are can be long.

If you earn wages, you must pay tax, regulated by HM Revenue & Customs. Check your obligations as a non-resident or resident worker. Workers are protected by compulsory Workers Compensation insurance and employer obligations to run a safe workplace.

Immigration and visas

The Home Office in the UK has an Immigration & Natonality Directorate that handles visas and immigration - the website is easy to use. They have a special section called Working in the UK that you should check first. Check UK Visas to see what type of visa you will need. You may be eligible for residence if you have a grandparent who was born in the UK - read about UK Ancestry.

Find your local UK Consulate or Embassy and talk to them.

There are many recruitment agencies online when you do a Google search. Refine your search by putting the position in double quotes eg "chef work in Edinburgh Scotland" - this way, Google will only show listings relevant to that city and country. Try searching for a position now:

Check the Free Online Videos for the best way to prepare for and present yourself in a job interview. Plus how to prepare your resume and cover letter.