Info about move to England from US (employment, transfer)

[drs2100]

I have checked websites and received info about types of visas (i.e. entrepreneur, general worker, student, etc.). I have read info about only being able to be hired if employer can prove the position cannot be filled by a UK citizen.

Please advise of any info you may add on how plausible it is for employers to prove this and if a visa is hard to get or if its better to just state you will start a business, I have read they will basically give away the entrepreneur visas.

Is it often that work visas are continually renewed or is it more likely you apply for citizenship after the 5 year waiting period.

I am a software engineer looking to move a family of 4 to the Berkshire area. Newbury, Basingstoke, and Reading seem to have many software engineer openings.

If you have any experience, please advise on the primary education in England as I have an 8 year old and a 4 month old.

Thank you.

[Transmition]

Probably easier to get a job at an international business like Microsoft and transfer over, they do a lot of international exchanges.

[Brontosaurus]

If you are qualified to do something on the UK occupation shortage list - see on this page UK Border Agency | How to employ migrants to do jobs on the shortage occupation list the employer does not have to prove they could not find a UK citizen. If you are not so qualified the question of how an employer proves he could not find anyone else is rather academic - no-one is going to fool around trying to get a work visa for a foreign citizen if they can find a UK/EU citizen to fill their vacancy.

It is untrue that entrepreneur visas are given away! You must have £200,000 cash available to cover your business start-up costs and a plausible business plan that shows how your enterprise will provide employment for a minimum of 2 UK citizens.

I would stick to the UKBA site for visa information - many other web sites are out of date.

[drs2100]

Thank you both that info is helpful. The link is also helpful.

If anyone has info on school age children moving over, please advise. (i.e. hoops to get them in primary school, fees, immunization shots 'like in the US', etc)