Your qualifications & working in the UK post-Brexit

Regardless of your views of how well or poorly Brexit has been handled, there are still thousands of people who will be looking to work and study in the UK. That’s a lot of people who need to be able to show they have the skills required and that those skills match a relevant qualification here in the UK.

Luckily doing so is much easier than you think thanks to the NARIC Statement Of Comparability. This essential certificate makes things simpler for applicants and institutions/companies. And while NARIC is used across Europe and further afield, most people will never have heard of it, or how it helps individuals.

Let’s take a look at why having a NARIC Statement Of Comparability matters, and how someone can use their qualifications to get a certificate when looking to move to the UK.

Knowing what NARIC is used for

If you have a university degree that shows you’re more than qualified for something, then why would you need to get some certificate in the first place? Let’s take a step back and explain why NARIC is important. The term is an acronym for National Academic Recognition Information Centre. Most countries will have one and are all part of the NARIC Network.

This network essentially works together to build an understanding of where specific qualifications and degrees sit within another country’s framework. While something like a bachelor’s degree is pretty much the same throughout Europe, it is when you look at specific grades and industries that things need more clarity. A good example of this network being needed occurs in Ireland. With the island being two distinct countries, someone who lives on one side of the border but works in the other will be using qualifications gained from completely different academic systems.

While you could take someone’s word that they’re good for working, any reputable business will want those qualifications checked and verified. This is what NARIC is used for. It helps take the load off businesses to check every document is adequate. Although this may not sound like a big deal, imagine if you were running a construction company and had many workers from mainland Europe. Now imagine you had to spend time and resources checking the documents for every single person to see if they’re eligible to work without having contacts in other countries. It would be a massive drain on resources, and why a system like NARIC is more beneficial than just “red tape”.

Knowing how NARIC works

For anyone planning to study or work in the UK, it should be the case that you get your documents in order, send them off, and just wait for verification, yes? If only it were that easy. Now, while NARIC is typically quite quick with verifying documents, creating certificates and passing them back (you’re looking at around two working weeks on average), UK NARIC can’t do anything with your documents if they aren’t in English.

While the equivalency checks help anyone here understand what level you’re at, UK NARIC needs to be shown original documents as well as translations which are certified. Thankfully, getting UK Naric translations is much easier than you think. There are certain companies which are partnered with UK NARIC to provide these services. I fully recommend opting for one which UK NARIC prefers, rather than going alone, as they favour certified translations in fast-tracking the application process.

Knowing nothing changes after Brexit

Perhaps the biggest worry with applying to be in the UK is that Brexit somehow changes or makes it harder to get things done. As UK NARIC themselves pointed out, the “key document governing recognition is the Lisbon Recognition Convention. The UK is a signatory to the Convention, and remains a signatory, post-Brexit”.

This means that the process is still the same, and no one should have to jump through any hoops when applying for work or study. As long as there are opportunities available, you still have the right to go for them.