Highlands, meadows, history and music: Scotland has a very positive global reputation. As this country is part of the UK (United Kingdom), immigration to Scotland is governed by UK policy. In other words, Brexit, special Commonwealth rules, and ongoing immigration reforms could complicate the process. We will help you find a solution and find the best way to move to Edinburgh. We will also provide an overview of the cost of living in Scotland.
Step
Question 1 of 6: Can Indonesian citizens move to Scotland?
Step 1. You can visit for 6 months on a UK visa
Just present your UK passport and visa upon arrival. The officer will affix a stamp on the passport in the form of the date of entry. This gives you permission to stay in the UK (including Scotland) for 6 months or until you return home.
- Your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay in the UK.
- This policy applies to visitors only, and cannot be used to find work. Use this as a first step to building connections in Scotland and planning your move. Telling immigration officials that you are coming to settle in Scotland could result in you being evicted from there.
Step 2. Apply for a visa for long term residence and work rights
Fill out the online form at https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/uk-visit-visa, 3 months before you travel. After receiving a reply, complete the form in person at the immigration office.
- In the United States, you can use the Application Support Center service which can be found at https://egov.uscis.gov/office-locator/#/asc. Alternative locations of this service are not recommended due to the poor level of customer satisfaction.
- See the article below to find out more information about other types of visas.
Step 3. Extend the duration of the visa until you are eligible for a permanent residence permit
Even if the visa is only valid for a few years, the Scottish government will not kick you out right away. Ask for a visa extension when it's almost over so you can stay longer – so you can stay forever.
- You can usually extend your work visa if you are still working in the same place in the same profession. However, the minimum salary requirements may have changed since your arrival.
- If you want to change jobs, please renew your visa before starting work.
- After living in the UK with a valid visa for 5 years, apply for "indefinite leave to remain". With this status, you can stay in Scotland permanently without a visa, and can work in any field.
- A student visa (and some other visas that prevent you from working full time) does not entitle you to apply after 5 years of residence. However, you can apply after living for 10 years in Scotland for any reason. You can also acquire citizenship after being legally married for 5 years with a UK permanent resident.
Question 2 of 6: How do I move to Scotland to find work?
Step 1. You must get a job offer that requires "special skills"
Look for job vacancies in Scotland that require a minimum of a high school education or equivalent.
If you are not sure you meet the requirements, look up the requirements in the list of professions in tables 1 and 2 on the https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-skilled-occupations page
Step 2. Check the minimum salary requirements
In general, you must be offered a minimum salary of £25,600 (approximately IDR 400,000,000) per year to apply for a work visa and move to Scotland. However, the current “points” system is so complex that the exact number could be higher or lower:
- Your salary offer must be at least equal to the average pay ("going rate") of similar jobs listed at
- If you have a relevant doctorate or work in an understaffed industry, salary requirements can be lowered as needed.
Step 3. Work for 5 years in Scotland to be permanently settled
Your work visa may only last for a few years, but you can renew it whenever it expires. Keep the same job for 5 years (or apply for permission to renew your visa before changing jobs) for the opportunity to apply for an " indefinite leave to remain." After that, you can live forever in Scotland (or in the UK) without a visa.
The government may increase the minimum wage requirement for your work during your stay in Scotland. You may have to meet these new requirements in order to extend your visa, but you are usually granted concessions under the rules that were in place when you first applied for a visa
Question 3 of 6: Can I move to Scotland as a student?
Step 1. Apply to a school or university in Scotland first
Once accepted, you can apply for a student visa.
Double-check whether the selected educational institution can sponsor a visa by searching through the https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-of-licensed-sponsors-students page
Step 2. Check the job requirements
If you are a university student, you can work part-time during your studies and work full-time during school holidays. Even if you are not a university student, some student visas allow you to work 10 hours per week.
Step 3. Prepare a plan after graduation
From summer 2021, the UK government plans to allow foreign students to stay for two years after graduation. You can find work during this time so you can apply for a work visa or permanent residence permit later.
Question 4 of 6: Is there another way to move to Scotland?
Step 1. You are considered a commonwealth color if you have a UK national grandparent
As long as your biological grandparents were born in the UK and you are at least 17 years old, you can apply for a 5 year work visa.
If you have Irish citizenship, you can move at any time without a visa. (You can apply for Irish citizenship if your grandparents are from there.)
Step 2. You are between the ages of 18 and 30 and are from a country covered by the Youth Mobility program
In this case, you can apply for a work visa for two years.
- You will need proof that you have a minimum of £2,530 (approximately IDR 45,000,000).
- The countries included in the program are Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea, Taiwan, and the "British Overseas Territories").
Step 3. You fall into another category
The immigration policy has many exceptions and can grant special visas. However, most of these permissions are very situation-specific. Here are some examples of exceptions that apply to people from any country:
- You are an experienced businessman with a capital of £50,000 (approximately IDR 855,000,000) who wants to develop a business idea in Scotland.
- You are a "high potential" startup entrepreneur.
- You have a special talent and are successful in academia, research, arts, culture, or digital technology.
Question 5 of 6: Is the cost of living in Scotland high?
Step 1. The cost of living in Scotland is in the upper-middle range by European standards
Living in Scotland is much cheaper than in London or New York, but still very expensive when compared to most countries in Southern Europe or Eastern Europe, especially when compared to developing countries including Indonesia.
Of all the major cities in Scotland, Glasgow has a more balanced ratio of cost of living to salary than Ediburgh or Aberdeen. However, if you are a student, retired, or remote worker, the cost of living in Aberdeen is actually much cheaper
Step 2. Check the cost of everyday used items
The figures below are only rough estimates, but may help you figure out the cost of living in Scotland:
- One liter of milk is sold for Rp. 15,000.
- Rent a one bedroom apartment outside the city center for one month costs around Rp. 9,000,000 to Rp. 15,000,000.
- The monthly public transportation fee is around IDR 1,000,000.
Step 3. Average income before tax is around IDR 11,000,000 per week
In the entire UK, there are only two regions in the UK that have an average income higher than this figure.
If you are at least 25 years old, you are guaranteed a minimum salary of £8.72 per hour (around Rp. 150,000)
Question 6 of 6: Can foreigners buy property in Scotland?
Step 1. You can buy property in Scotland without any restrictions
You don't have to be a permanent resident or hold a visa.
Step 2. Collect a minimum of 25% of the property price as collateral
If you do not work in the UK and do not live for 2 years there, you are required to pay a security deposit in exchange for a local credit history. This payment is referred to as "nonstatus" or "self-certification."
Tips
- People from certain special countries (such as the United States, Canada and all members of the European Union) can visit Scotland (but may not work there) for a maximum of 6 months at a time without a visa. Some argue that this rule means that you are only allowed to visit for a maximum of "six months of the year." You can visit as often as possible as long as it doesn't exceed this time limit. However, visiting too often and staying too long can lead immigration authorities to decide that you are staying "long term" or make the UK your "main home". In this case, the immigration authorities may refuse your arrival and ask you to apply for the appropriate visa.
- English language skills are a key requirement for moving to Scotland.
