Visa woes from Brexit? Read this.

You've found a great international job, but you'll need a visa. Don't despair.

Since the Brexit vote in June, US-based career consultant Al Stewart has been a busy man. His inbox is full and his phone hasn’t stopped ringing with international clients wanting to know what the UK vote to leave the EU could mean for them.

Stewart owns an international career management consulting firm, Business Mentors with offices in Georgia, Florida, and France. But he doesn’t have all the answers for his clients. No one does. The world is waiting to see how the vote will play out in the coming months and years. But in the meantime it leaves some workers and companies in limbo.

While those in the UK are feeling it the most acutely – what if their companies move to an offshore location or close altogether? – workers elsewhere are also worried about the effects of Brexit on their residency status. If they lose their jobs, will they have to move country?

Indeed, visa-based issues and uncertainty have always been top of mind for those working abroad. Brexit is just one of many scenarios. But, if yours is an international career, there are a number of steps you can take to put yourself in the best possible employment position, no matter what your visa status or plans. 

Go for permanent status

If you're hoping to stay in your new country long-term, immediately look into your options for permanent residency. It's often an expensive, arduous and years-long process. As soon as possible after beginning any job, no matter where in the world you are, speak to a professional and research your legal obligations and rights.

Not all visas are paths to permanent residency. For example, the Aussie E3 visa in the US isn’t a direct path to a green card. Likewise, not all student or work visas in the UK will allow permanency there. So, you'll need to know what your options are.  And, make sure you're on the right visa, as changing track midway through an application process can cause immigration red flags.

But, once you become a permanent resident in your chosen country, you'll be much more attractive to employers, says Stewart. “A potential employer’s interest in hiring you is doubled since they no longer have to trudge through the bureaucracy of a visa application process if a permanent resident card is in place.”

Remember to keep networking

Don't put your professional goals on hold while you wait out the visa process. Many people make the mistake of only actively networking when they are out of a job or looking to move. You should be doing it all the time, especially with the current instability in the job market, according to Stewart. This is especially true if you're on a visa. You want to be prepared if the employment tide turns.

“Always network with other employers in your country of employment just in case something extraordinary happens,” such as being sacked or your firm downsizing, or a  merger, he says. “You will be several steps ahead in that you have already developed rapport with another organisation, and they will have already done some pre-screening of you in the hiring process.”

Make yourself indispensable

With companies downsizing and closing up shop in the UK, and with an uncertain global economic outlook, you need to become a rare asset that everyone wants, says California-based Alexandre Wentzo,CEO of Casewise, a UK-based software consulting firm with seven international offices. “Make yourself necessary, even mandatory for your business,” he wrote in an email. “This can be achieved by acquiring knowledge or expertise that cannot be found easily on the market.”

For example, language skills can put you ahead of the competition. “To be extra valuable, you should be fluent in another language other than English, such as Russian or Mandarin,” says Wentzo. “It could be a strong differentiator for a UK business, which has decided to focus their export strategy to other countries.” Or, in the US, fluency in Spanish is an often sought-after second language for employers.

Another strategy is to flaunt any areas of specialist expertise that will come in handy for companies disrupted by Brexit, such as lawyers with in-depth knowledge of EU trade regulations.

Don’t wait

Since many employment visas are tied to company sponsorship, it is important not to wait until it’s too late to look for a new position, according to Charmi Patel, associate professor of human resource management at the University of Edinburgh Business School. “Ideally, you should start looking for other jobs at least six months before your contract end date irrespective of Brexit or whichever event may be causing the upheaval,” she wrote in an email.

Another option would be to look for new roles within the same company. “That will involve an intra-company transfer for visa but at least one will still have their job/visa with the same company,” says Patel. Then, you can start your search again.

Make contact

Target the market in a strategic way, says Jorg Stegemann, CEO of Kennedy Executive Search, a search firm with offices in Europe and North America. Ask yourself the following questions: Who is most likely to hire you? How many potential bosses or positions are there out there for you? Which are the five best headhunters in your market who are specialised in your niche? Contact them one-by-one, with the aim of getting a meeting. “Meet them, chase them gently, keep in touch,” he says. “Be in top of mind of these people to make sure they think of you when your job pops up.”

Ready for a move

If you are able to relocate, let that be known. Just don’t be vague, says Stegemann. “When we receive applications from people telling us, ‘I can move from India to Germany, Brazil or Monaco without any problems’, we won’t believe you. Make it clear in your pitch why you are interested in this specific destination.” And, if you know, mention which visa you are eligible for and how you meet the criteria. Changing countries isn’t easy and headhunters know that. “We must be convinced as we only want to advocate [for] candidates we are confident to go [all the way to] the end with,” says Stegemann.

Unique combination

When it comes to international employment, visas and permanent residency status aren’t the be all and end all. In today’s increasingly globalised marketplace, standing out and showing solid experience can be everything. Companies will go the extra mile if you have the skills they need and if you have unique skills which existing citizens don’t possess, says Business Mentors’ Stewart.

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