Find a job: Homes for Ukraine
Where to find work, who can help you and how to access skills based training for employment.
If you want to find a job in the UK, there are a few ways you can do this:
- company websites
- Jobcentre website
- specialist websites like Indeed, Total Jobs and LinkedIn
- recruitment agencies
- look in the local paper
- ask local business if they have any vacancies
- attend job fairs
Understanding English will help you when adapting to life in the UK.
The UK government is funding STEP Ukraine which is a completely free, virtual 12-week English language and employment support programme for Ukrainians in the UK. Thousands of Ukrainians have already benefited from STEP Ukraine, achieving improved job prospects and English language skills whilst here in the UK. Registrations for the STEP Ukraine programme are no longer being accepted. However, you can fill out your details to join the waiting list on World Jewish Relief’s website.
Who is eligible for STEP Ukraine
- Ukrainians from all backgrounds who are over the age of 18
- Living in the UK on one of the following Ukraine Scheme visas; the Homes for Ukraine Scheme (including Welsh and Scottish super sponsorship schemes), the Ukraine Family Scheme, or the Ukraine Extension Scheme.
What does STEP Ukraine involve
- An intensive 10 weeks of 2.5 hour daily English classes by the British Council, with options to take the lessons morning, afternoon or evening
- 12 weeks of weekly employment support with a dedicated employment advisor, to support with: CV writing, job applications, interview prep, support with job search, and specialist workshops
- All classes are remote, and teacher led. They are streamed so you will be with classmates at a similar level.
- STEP Ukraine is delivered by World Jewish Relief and the British Council.
How to join STEP Ukraine
Registrations for the STEP Ukraine programme are no longer being accepted. However, you can fill out your details to join the waiting list on World Jewish Relief’s website. World Jewish Relief will notify you if any spots become available, but we cannot guarantee this.
See the STEP Ukraine privacy notice.
Your local Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus helps people who need benefits to find work, and helps employers advertise jobs.
The services they offer include:
- training, guidance and work placement
- work experience, volunteering and job trialling
- help with starting your own business
- help combining work with looking after children or caring responsibilities
- extra help for specific problems
They also have a free employment advice service, access to training opportunities and can direct you to other organisations for specialist support.
They can help people who receive benefits because they are unemployed or unable to work because of a health condition or disability.
Jobcentre Plus has public computers you can use to search for jobs. You can find this free service at the Job Centre Plus in most cities, and some towns across the UK.
Find your nearest Jobcentre Plus office.
Your work coach
Job Centre Plus will assign you a work coach who you will meet regularly.
They will support you to build your skills and explore different job options and training opportunities.
Your work coach can:
- help you work out how to search for a job and explain the Jobcentre’s expectations of you
- tell you about what types of job are available in the area, what companies are recruiting and what skills they’re looking for
- identify transferrable skills, or talk about any gaps in your skills and the training you could do
- match you to available jobs
- discuss local employers who offer work experience, or Sector Based Work Academy Programme (SWAPs). This is a good way to try a new sector or industry you haven’t considered before
- help you to update your CV or cover letter
- help with interview techniques, competency-based interviews, top tips and even mock interview practice where necessary
If you are disabled
A disability advisor can support you and help you access correct support and suitable employment.
What Access to Work is
Access to Work can help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability.
The support you get will depend on your needs. Through Access to Work, you can apply for:
- a grant to help pay for practical support with your work
- support with managing your mental health at work
- money to pay for communication support at job interviews
You can speak to your work coach about support if you are disabled, or read more about Access to Work.
National Employer and Partnership Teams (NEPT)
National Employer and Partnership teams (NEPT) work with around 500 national employers, trade associations and partners across a wide range of labour market sectors, to support refugees, Afghans and Ukrainians into work.
To extend the reach of job opportunities, NEPT also share job vacancies with the Refugee Employment Network, a UK wide charity with a membership of over 200 refugee employment organisations.
DWP Youth Offer
Many people on Universal Credit aged 16-24 can get extra help to find work through the DWP Youth Offer. Ask your work coach to see if you are eligible.
While you are on the Youth Offer, you will continue to receive Universal Credit in line with the agreements made in your Claimant Commitment.
The Youth Offer has 3 different types of support:
- Youth Employment Programme
- Youth Hubs
- Youth Employability Coaches
You will agree the best option for you with your work coach at the start of your claim or later as your work coach gets to know you
Jobcentre Plus Support for care leavers
Care leavers are young people aged 16-25 years old who have been in care at some point since they were 14-years old and were in care on or after their sixteenth birthday.
Every Jobcentre has a care leaver single point of contact to support the needs of care leavers. This individual will usually be your primary local Jobcentre Plus contact.
We know young people leaving care should have a pathway plan which should capture quality information regarding the young person’s education, skills and employment journey and aspirations. Young people should be encouraged to share this information with their work coach to ensure these activities and aims are reflected in the plan (claimant commitment) they will co-develop with their work coach.
Advanced Claim Preparation facility: Care leavers can prepare to apply for Universal Credit up to 28 days in advance of their 18th birthday. Your local Jobcentre Plus point of contact will help book an appointment for the young person to support as smooth a transition as possible from local authority to DWP benefit support.
Our Second Chance Learning Scheme (SCL) supports care leavers aged 18 to 21 who wish to catch up on the education they may have missed out on when they were younger. Housing Benefit or Universal Credit/Housing Support is available to those who take up full time study in non-advanced education (secondary level education).
Care leavers have an Exemption from the Shared Accommodation Rate until they reach age 25 when claiming either Housing Benefit or Universal Credit and living in the private rented sector.
Jobcentre Plus work coaches also have access to a discretionary fund (Flexible Support Fund) which can be used to address barriers to employment, such as travel expenses to attend interviews and tools and clothing/uniform to start work. It is a discretionary award based on the work coaches’ assessment of the young person’s needs. Care leavers should speak with their work coach ahead of starting work if they require any assistance.
Care leavers can access the Work and Health Programme (WHP) from day one of their claim. The programme provides up to 15 months pre-employment support and up to 6 months light touch in-work support, for those that want it. If eligible, claimants may be referred to WHP Pioneer, which is ‘place and train’ support that will look to place participants into work at the earliest opportunity after an initial work assessment. Like care leavers those on Ukraine schemes have early access to WHP.
Paid Internship opportunities – The Civil Service offers work experience opportunities for care leavers through the Department for Education led Care Leavers Internship Scheme. These are 12-month paid internships aimed at helping care leavers develop skills and behaviours that support them into long-term jobs.
Find a job or an apprenticeship
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are receiving details from employers who would like to employ people from Ukraine. Details of these job opportunities will be shared with work coaches at Jobcentre Plus.
Find a job and Find an apprenticeship: A free online job website with the latest vacancies for jobs or apprenticeships covering different career opportunities and job sectors. You can search for jobs without an account, but you will need to create an account to apply for a job.
National Careers Service: Provides free, personalised information and guidance on careers. They can help you to make decisions about learning, training and work. Advice can be given individually or in groups, either in person, by phone or online.
You could also:
- look at your local council website: they will list local jobs, and might also have information about recruitment events and companies hiring in your area
- go to job fairs: these are events where recruiters come to meet potential employees, you can find out about them in newspapers or through your work coach
- look at local and national newspapers: they will have a section with a list of job vacancies
- look online: you can speak to your work coach for more advice about where to find jobs that are suitable for your skills and experience
Apply for a job or an apprenticeship
When you find a job you want to do, you need to apply for it. Your work coach can help you with this.
To apply you might need to include:
- an application form
- CV (also known as a resume)
- cover letter
CV
A CV (curriculum vitae or resume) lists your skills, education, and work experience. You normally need to include your CV as part of a job application.
You should try to write your CV so it is relevant to the job you are applying for. You can find free templates for CVs online. Your work coach can help you.
Cover letter
This can be either an email, letter, or entered on an online form, depending on how you are applying for a job.
You can use the letter to introduce yourself, highlight your skills and knowledge and explain why you are right for the job.
Employers may ask to see your documents, like:
- ID
- Biometric residence permit
- proof of your qualifications and experience
Show them original documents, if you have them.
You do not need to accept a job offer if it isn’t suitable for you. Your visa is not connected to any work offer you do or do not choose to accept.
Your employer does not have the right to keep your ID documents, which you will show them to prove your right to work in the UK before you start working for them.
Interviews
When you have sent in your application, you may be invited to an interview.
Interviews can be different depending on the job you have applied for, or the company you have applied to. You might be asked questions in a more formal interview or asked to do a trial shift.
You may be asked to prepare something in advance like a presentation. You will be told before the interview if you do need to prepare anything.
Try to arrive early to the interview and check what the dress code is.
You can ask your work coach to help you prepare for your interview.
Don’t worry if you do not hear back from the employer, they do not always contact you if you have not been successful. It is normal to apply for many jobs at once.
References
Employers might also ask for references from people who can confirm you are suitable for the job.
They will usually ask for someone you have worked with, or someone who has known you well.
They normally ask that you are not related to your reference
Criminal record check
Depending on the type of employment that you are seeking, the employer may need to see a criminal record certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This is known as a DBS check and will include details of your criminal history in the UK. In the majority of cases, it will not include details of any criminal records from abroad.
If you have not been in the UK for very long, the employer may also require details of your criminal record in the other countries that you have lived in.
The Home Office has guidance for employers who want to request overseas criminal records checks for time spent overseas. This guidance includes who can apply, how to apply, and relevant contact details.
Information on how to obtain criminal record information from Ukraine is available in Ukrainian on the official webpage of the Embassy. This states that Ukrainian citizens can apply for their Ukrainian criminal record in the Ukrainian Consulate in London using the online registration. This procedure usually takes up to one calendar month. In order to speed up the process applicants can obtain the extract from the register online. In this case the confirmation letter will be issued by the Consulate within 3 working days.
Minimum wage
Every employer in the country must pay their employees or workers a minimum amount per hour. How much this is, depends on how old you are.
People classed as ‘workers’ must be at least school leaving age to get the National Minimum Wage. They must be 23 or over to get the National Living Wage.
Contracts for payments below the minimum wage are not legally binding. The worker is still entitled to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.
Workers are also entitled to the correct minimum wage if they’re:
- part-time
- casual labourers, for example someone hired for one day
- agency workers
- workers and homeworkers paid by the number of items they make
- apprentices
- trainees
- workers on probation
- disabled workers
- agricultural workers
- foreign workers
- seafarers
- offshore workers
Current rates
These rates are for the National Living Wage (for those aged 23 and over) and the National Minimum Wage (for those of at least school leaving age). The rates change on 1 April every year.
April 2023
| 23 and over | 21 to 22 | 18 to 20 | Under 18 | Apprentice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £10.42 | £10.18 | £7.49 | £5.28 | £5.28 |
For the most up to date information look at National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates. You can also find out more information at Check Your Pay.
Working hours
You cannot work more than 48 hours a week on average, normally averaged over 17 weeks. This law is sometimes called the ‘working time directive’ or ‘working time regulations’.
You can choose to work more by opting out of the 48-hour week.
If you’re under 18, you cannot work more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.
Exceptions
You may have to work more than 48 hours a week on average if you work in a job:
- where 24-hour staffing is required
- in the armed forces, emergency services or police
- in security and surveillance
- as a domestic servant in a private household
- as a seafarer, sea-fisherman or worker on vessels on inland waterways
- where working time is not measured and you’re in control, for example you’re a managing executive with control over your decisions
Voluntary work
Voluntary work means working for an organisation without being paid. This could be for a charity or a voluntary organisation.
Volunteering can help you build your confidence and skills, meet new people, and give back to your local community.
Voluntary work could increase your chance of getting a job, especially if you haven’t worked in the UK.
Careers advice
England
You can get careers advice and support from the National Careers Service.
Anyone aged 13 yours old and up in England can get free careers information, in person, online, and on the phone. Call 0800 100 900 or look at their online information.
Scotland
Scotland’s national skills body is Skills Development Scotland (SDS). Call 0800 917 8000.
Wales
To help you plan your career, prepare to get a job, and find and apply for the right apprenticeships, courses and training look at Careers Wales.
Northern Ireland
For careers information, advice and guidance to people living in Northern Ireland go to the Careers Service.
Teachers from Ukraine
Most teachers in England hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Overseas teachers, including those who qualified in Ukraine, can work without QTS in a maintained school or indefinitely in an academy or free school. If you work in a maintained school, you can get your QTS by completing the assessment-only route.
There is some funding available for Ukrainian teachers who would like to do an assessment-only programme to gain QTS. Speak to your assessment-only provider or school about this. More information about funding options can be found in the guidance for Ukrainian teachers.
You could also complete an accredited course of teacher training in England which leads to QTS.
If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland there are different routes to work as a teacher:
The official job-listing service from the Department for Education and used by over 17,000 schools to post their teaching roles is Teaching Vacancies. You can search for a job at a school or trust in England, save jobs and set up job alerts.
You can find and apply for teacher training.
In further education (FE) there are no formal qualification requirements for teachers in the UK. Employment as a teacher would be the decision of the individual provider. To help employers and individuals compare qualifications you can find out more by looking at the UK ENIC website. More advice is available about teaching in further education.
Ukrainian nationals wishing to take Early Years Initial Teacher Training can access funding if they have the rights to live and work in the UK. They should visit Get into Teaching for more information about the routes they can take and to learn more about funding.
Ukraine nationals wishing to become a teacher should visit Ukrainian teachers and trainees coming to the UK for more information.
Working in a regulated profession in the UK
In the UK, some professions are regulated by law and individuals need to have specific professional qualifications or experience in order to undertake certain professional activities. For these roles, independent regulators decide what qualifications individuals need to have to practise a profession and assess whether applicants are suitably qualified.
Further information about regulated professions, their regulators and contact details can be found on GOV.UK and using our Regulated Professions Register.
Updates to this page
Published 16 January 2023Last updated 5 December 2024 + show all updates
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Registrations for the STEP Ukraine programme are no longer being accepted. However, you can fill out your details to join the waiting list on World Jewish Relief’s website.
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New information for Ukrainian nationals seeking to become a teacher in the UK.
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Added section on Working in a regulated profession in the UK.
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Added translation