Edinburgh: Loch Ness, Glencoe & the Scottish Highlands Tour
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Scotland continues to attract foreign workers for its career prospects and quality of life that is hard to match elsewhere in the United Kingdom: house prices are more affordable compared to London, there is excellent public transport, vibrant social life in major cities, widespread safety, and countryside offering activities for all tastes, from skiing to mountain biking.
However, following Brexit, relocating to Scotland for work has become a considerably more complex process than in the past. Since January 2021, Italian and European citizens no longer enjoy freedom of movement within the United Kingdom and must obtain a work visa before they can relocate. This is the fundamental premise from which to begin planning any work project in Scotland.
The most common visa for those who want to work in Scotland is the Skilled Worker Visa, issued through a points-based system that evaluates skills, educational level, English language proficiency and offered salary. To obtain it, you must reach a minimum of 70 points.
The three main requirements are: having a formal job offer from a British company authorised to sponsor foreign workers (the so-called sponsor licence), holding a minimum qualification equivalent to secondary school leaving certificate level, and demonstrating English language proficiency of at least B1 level. The offered salary must also fall within the minimum thresholds set for the specific role.
It is important to know that you cannot go to Scotland to look for work or attend interviews: the visa is only applied for after you have obtained a job offer and the corresponding sponsorship certificate. The job search must therefore be conducted from abroad, via online portals, direct applications to companies and contact with specialist recruiters.
For the healthcare sector, there is a facilitated route: the Health and Care Worker Visa, reserved for doctors, nurses, social care workers and other healthcare professionals, has lower salary requirements and reduced application costs compared to the standard Skilled Worker Visa.
The most dynamic sectors for foreign workers in Scotland are technology and IT, healthcare, engineering, renewable energy (Scotland is among Europe’s leaders in wind power), financial services, education and tourism. Edinburgh hosts offices of major international tech companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Adobe and IBM; Glasgow is an important manufacturing and healthcare hub; Aberdeen is traditionally linked to the North Sea oil industry.
The most widely used job search portals are:
Once you have obtained your visa and job offer, there are several administrative procedures to deal with. Below are the main ones.
To work legally in Scotland, it is essential to obtain a National Insurance Number (NI Number), the British tax code that remains valid for life and allows you to pay social security contributions. Today it is possible to apply online via the British government website, without the need to attend a job centre in person. To obtain it, you need to have an address in Scotland and a valid identity document. The number is communicated by post, so it is essential to already have a place to live at the time of application.
Those working part-time and earning less than £12,570 per year (threshold updated to 2025) are not subject to income tax, a threshold significantly higher than in the past.
The National Health Service (NHS) provides free healthcare to all residents in Scotland, funded by taxation. Those obtaining a work visa are generally required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge at the time of visa application, an annual fee that provides full access to the NHS. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is valid only for temporary stays, not for residents.
Scotland has a compulsory education system from ages 5 to 16, with the possibility of continuing until 18. Children are entitled to free education, including pre-school for the two years prior to starting primary school.
For those who find it burdensome to manage all the administrative procedures of relocating on their own, there are specialist agencies that handle house hunting, registration procedures, schools for children and pet relocation. This is a paid service but can make a significant difference in the first few weeks.
Finding accommodation is the most urgent step after arrival, not least because many administrative procedures — starting with the NI Number — require a physical address. Depending on the planned length of stay, you can choose between renting or buying.
For short or medium-term stays, renting is the most flexible solution. The rental market is active for both furnished and unfurnished properties. The rules are similar to other countries: a minimum period of six months is generally required, procedures are handled by a letting agent and utility contracts (electricity, gas, water) are placed in the tenant’s name. The utilities market is liberalised, so you can freely choose your energy and phone provider.
The main portals for finding rental properties are:
For those planning a permanent move, purchasing is a realistic option: house prices in Scotland are significantly lower than in London and South East England. The property market is diverse: from beautiful Georgian and Victorian-style townhouses in Edinburgh’s New Town, with large windows, high ceilings and fireplaces, to modern flats in waterfront areas like Leith, to country properties in the Highlands.
To guide you through the purchase process:
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