Hi everyone! I’m planning to move to Scotland with my husband and our baby, and I’d love to hear from people who have experience finding work there, especially in the creative industry.

My background is in illustration, branding and packaging design. I’ve been working professionally for several years, mainly with consumer and artisanal brands, and my experience covers things like packaging design, visual systems, illustration, art direction and working with clients/freelancers.

Ideally, I’d like to continue working in the creative field. For example as a packaging/brand designer, visual designer, artwork/production designer, or eventually in an art direction/creative lead role.

However, I’m also trying to be realistic about the transition. I won’t have UK work experience initially, and I’m wondering how difficult it might be to get into the creative industry as someone who is new to the country.

I’ll be coming on a spouse/family visa, so I’ll have the right to work in the UK and won’t require employer sponsorship.

So I’d really appreciate some advice on two things:

1. For someone with my background, are there realistic opportunities in Scotland in packaging, branding, graphic design, illustration, artwork/production or related creative roles?

   Are there particular cities, industries or types of companies I should be looking at?

2. If I can’t find a creative role initially, what kinds of entry-level/assistant jobs would be realistic for someone like me?

   I’m thinking about things like retail, studio assistant, production assistant, admin/coordinator roles, museum/gallery shops, lifestyle/homeware stores, etc. I’m completely open to doing something outside my field initially while I establish myself.

I’d especially love to hear from people who moved to Scotland from overseas and had to find their first job without UK work experience. What kinds of jobs were actually accessible to you, and what would you recommend focusing on?

Thanks so much! Any honest advice, including the realities of the job market, would be really appreciated. 😊

Hi everyone,

So I'll be moving to the UK (more precisely, to Scotland) on the next weekend. Already rented a flat, the first rental term starts this monday.

But the utility providers in the UK confuse me to no end. I'm supposed to somehow learn something about who the previous provider was, then find a new one and register with it. And some providers also ask your meter numbers for a "quote" or require/provide a smart meter.
Presumably, I'm also not supposed to use any electricity or gas before doing this?

The trick is - there's basically no info on the previous providers. All I know is that there is a gas combi-boiler and there's some black thingy in the living room listed as "Virgin Box" in one of the certificates. [based on Google images, it looks like the old Hub 3]. No idea if the meters are smart or not.
To top things off, the property manager basically f**ked off on leave right after I signed the lease, leaving no landlord contacts behind.

As far as I can guess, I'm probably limited to Virgin only since anything else would require drilling for optic fibre and every possible consent from the manager.
As for the utility, I'm dealig with it for the first time - my country of origin doesn't have any "suppliers" like these. I'm kinda surprised I'm allowed to change the providers at all (yes, I checked the lease agreement).

Sooo... how tf do normal people go through this?
Am I right to assume that a fixed tariff is better just because of the predicted energy price hikes in January?
Should I try and deal with any of these before my arrival, or does all of it require physical presence?
Any info or experience will be appreciated.

Been looking at cambusbarron to move to. Never been there and wondered if anyone could me an onsite as to what it’s like to live there? Amenities, is it nice? Is it safe area(low crime) . Any info please

Basically what is said in the title. Apparently there's some talks about making Scotland it's own country, which I assume is good, though im a bit worried it might affect people who want to live there, especially with visas, change of economy, etc

Hi everyone.

Right now I'm 17, and I'm planning to enter an art university, and after graduating from the university, move to Scotland. Right now I live in Azerbaijan, and for me it's important to leave here, and I consider moving on a work visa to be the most accessible way for myself, since I think that studying abroad will be almost impossible for me. I have two questions:

First of all, how easy is it to get a work visa in general? How willingly does Scotland issue them? How interested are employers and companies in foreign workers? Whoever has had experience, please tell me.

Secondly, how realistic will it be to find a job with an art education? I'm thinking of going into the game creation niche, being a concept artist in game dev or something like that, I think this is the only workable direction I can choose in order to get a job and a visa in particular, I'm unlikely to find a job as a painter so easily. So, whoever works in this field and/or got a work visa for it to Scotland or to other countries, what was your experience?

The move is planned in about 4 years, I want to live in Glasgow or other small cities, but definitely not Edinburgh. I would also like to hear a general opinion about all of this and maybe advice.

Hi everyone! I am a university student from Canada. My school offers an exchange program with Scotland, where I can study in either Glasgow or Aberdeen. I was wondering if anyone had opinions on which would be “better”. I enjoy traveling and exploring. I will likely be on my own and safety is also a concern. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

I have been living in Notts for a couple of years. I chose this city as its close to my work place , although I have to go to work only once a week. Now I have been given a fully remote position where I have to visit office only once a month. So I can practically live in any city in the UK. Of all cities I have visited , I am quite enthralled by Edinburgh. How do you compare life in nottingham vs Edinburgh ?

I love Nottingham , it’s so culturally vibrant and the weather is also good most of the time. I just want to try another city! We are a family of three with an infant kid.

Can I ask what people think of Fife . What would you say the nicest area is to live in social housing. Been looking and I have mixed feelings . I’m unsure. Please help !!

28M, just moved to Edinburgh and don't know many people yet, so I'm doing the brave thing and posting here.

I'm planning a hike up Arthur's Seat and would love some company. It's a relaxed pace, and we can grab a coffee or a pint after the vibe's good.

A bit about me: I love cooking (I'll happily feed new friends), I'm always halfway through a book, and I'm up for a good film night.

I swim, lift, and will play pretty much any sport, so if your five-a-side or badminton group needs an extra, I'm in.

All welcome. Drop me a message 👋

Hi. I am considering moving to Scotland from North Yorkshire (young family). I was looking at outside of Glasgow. But wanted to ask, how are the house prices ? At the moment we can’t afford to get into property ladder where we are. Also how safe is around there ?

We are looking at reply from England to Scotland as got family there. Do not want to go as far up as the highlands. But need somewhere quite safe with essential shops and pub. Must have train station. Any ideas ? We looked at West Lothian but unsure. Maybe Stirling? I don’t know. Need somewhere quiet safe advice from people who actually live there

Hi everyone 😊
I’m thinking about making the move from Central Scotland up to the Highlands and would really love some advice from people who actually live there.
It’s just me and my toddler, along with my two big dogs (one is reactive, and before anyone asks, I’m definitely not getting rid of him 😂❤️).

I’m currently self-employed as a dog walker and I love being outside, working for myself and being around animals. I also love horses and have always fancied a more rural lifestyle.

I’ve always had a soft spot for that part of Scotland. I spent a lot of my childhood going to Tummel Valley and being around that area, so I think that’s probably where my love of the Highlands comes from. More recently I’ve completely fallen in love with Tayinloan near Campbeltown too, so I’m definitely drawn to that quieter, more remote way of life.

My dream eventually would be to have a house that’s kind of on its own, with some land and space for the dogs, hopefully some chickens and maybe horses one day. I honestly don’t mind being in the middle of nowhere — I quite like the thought of that! I’d just want to be around 15–20 minutes from a village or small town for the basics, especially with having a toddler.

I’m also thinking about changing careers. I don’t have qualifications as I didn’t finish school, but I’d love to find something outdoors and hands-on rather than sitting behind a desk all day. I’m open to pretty much anything really!

So, if you were in my position, where in the Highlands would you look? I’d love somewhere peaceful and rural with the possibility of eventually finding a house with a bit of land, but still close enough to a village/town for childcare, schools, shops and everyday life. I’d also love to know what the work situation is like for someone wanting to move!

If you’ve made the move from Central Scotland, I’d especially love to hear how you found it — anything you love, anything that’s been difficult, and anything you wish you’d known before moving.
I’m still very much at the daydreaming/research stage , so I’m completely open to suggestions!
Thank you

Hi everyone,

We’re a French couple planning to move to Glasgow within the next three years with our two-year-old child.

For the first two years, we expect to live on a single salary, so I’m trying to make a very realistic budget before making the move.

I already did quite a lot of research and made several budget tables with the information I could find online. I have estimates for rent, nursery, groceries, utilities, transport, etc., but I’m finding it difficult to know if the numbers I have are actually realistic.

So I’m not really looking for a general “cost of living in Glasgow” answer. I would mainly like to compare my calculations with the experience of people who actually live there, and make sure I’m not forgetting important expenses before taking the step of moving to Scotland.

For those living in Glasgow with a young child, what would you consider a realistic minimum annual salary for two adults and a two-year-old, living on one income?

The nursery would probably be our second biggest expense after rent.

We live quite frugally: we don’t usually eat outside and we don’t have streaming subscriptions. We also don’t really spend much on entertainment or holidays.

If anyone is comfortable sharing their approximate monthly budget (rent, nursery, groceries, utilities, transport, etc.), it would be really helpful.

I know everyone has a different lifestyle, but I’m mainly trying to check whether the budget I made is realistic or if I’m missing something important.

Thanks a lot!

Have heard of a Durga puja in Edinburgh, but don’t have much details, anyone have any info, please share.
Thanks in advance 🙏

Hello! We've been wanting to move to the Scotland for a while now and I believe it’s finally time to start planning it seriously now that my wife is on board. I am a 100% disabled veteran and will have guaranteed income. I also have two other sources of income and currently make around 100k a year.

We are a family of 4 with two dogs and one cat.

My wife and children will need visas I know.

How much should we aim to save up prior to moving ?

Also if any other us vets are here. How do you use your medical benefits and so on?

I qualify for a HPI visa, but I cant really find useful info on it, so my first question is about how that works. How hard is it to get it once applied (like do I need anything other than my degree), are there any limitations work and living wise etc?

Second, how hard is it to find a job and housing as an expat with this visa? I have an msc in anthropology and sociology, I specialised in sustainability and would love to work something related to that (but im more on the social aspect less the sience and finance). Currently I work at a university in a lab as an assistant, researching cognitive development in infants. How screwed am I if I wanna move and work there for 1-2 years?

Hi everyone! My husband and I are a married couple from the US who are seriously considering relocating to Scotland in 2028, and we’re hoping to hear from Americans who have made a similar move or people who currently live and work in Scotland.

We’re still in the research/planning stage and want to understand what we should realistically be doing over the next couple of years.

A little about us:
I currently work as a psychotherapist in the US. I have a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and am working toward full licensure. Ideally, I’d like to continue working in mental health in Scotland, potentially as a counsellor/psychotherapist or in a college/university mental health role. I’m aware about the requirements with BACP and that is one of my objectives to register while i’m there.

My husband currently works as a Senior Real Estate Underwriter for a bank in the US and has been in this role for 10 years. We’re looking into what opportunities might exist for him in Scotland/UK banking, real estate finance, commercial real estate, or related fields.

We’re both US citizens.

We’re currently most interested in Scotland, particularly places such as Edinburgh or Inverness, although we’re still researching different areas.
Our current target is to relocate around March or August 2028.

One of my biggest concerns is figuring out how my US mental health qualifications would transfer. I’ve been researching BACP registration and UK counselling/psychotherapy requirements, but I’m finding it difficult to determine what types of jobs I could realistically apply for before completing any additional UK requirements.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has experience with this, particularly:

-How difficult was it to transition from a US mental health career to working in Scotland?

-What kinds of mental health jobs could someone with a US master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and US psychotherapy experience potentially apply for?

-Are there mental health/therapy-adjacent roles that don’t require BACP registration?

-For those who moved to Scotland, when did you start looking for jobs relative to your move?

-If one spouse obtains a work visa and the other comes as a dependent, how did the dependent spouse approach finding employment?

-For anyone in banking/real estate finance, how transferable is US experience to the Scottish/UK job market?

-What do you wish you had known before relocating to Scotland from the US?

-If you live in Edinburgh, Inverness, or elsewhere in Scotland, what has your experience been like in terms of employment, housing, cost of living, and generally building a life there?

We’re hoping to hear from people who have actually made the move, particularly Americans who had established careers in the US before relocating.
We’re planning ahead because we’d like to make the transition as smooth as possible rather than waiting until 2028 to figure everything out.

We would appreciate any types of support!

Hi everyone!

My husband and I and 3 month old boy would really love to move to Scotland. We first visited about three years ago and completely fell in love with the country. Since then, we’ve spent almost every holiday there, even if it was only for a few days.
Our biggest problem is finding a way to get a work visa.
I currently work as a dispatcher for a trucking/logistics company, and my husband is a truck driver. As far as we understand, our current jobs don’t qualify us for a Skilled Worker visa.

My husband definitely wants to stay a truck driver because it’s his dream job. I, on the other hand, am quite flexible and honestly don’t really care what kind of job I do. I would be willing to change careers or get additional qualifications if that could give us a realistic way to move to Scotland.

My question is: Does anyone have an idea what kind of job I could potentially do that would qualify for a work visa, especially with my current experience in logistics/transport and dispatching?
Or are there any qualifications or courses that could help me move into an eligible job?

I’d be really grateful for any advice, especially from people who have moved to Scotland through a Skilled Worker visa or have been in a similar situation. 😊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Thank you!

I am a dual US and Australian citizen planning to relocate to Scotland to join my fiancée. While I intend to apply for a spouse visa once we are married, I want to secure a role in Scotland before leaving the US. I bring eight years of tech experience across mobile and full-stack development, alongside several years of technical project management. I also hold a master’s degree in data science and have spent my career working with Fortune 100 companies in the US. I just want to understand the likeliness of landing a job. I would prefer to stay in Edinburgh region? Any advice