Whether or not you’re working in the legal sector, looking to retrain or change career direction, immigration law offers a rewarding career. Highlighted below are some of the reasons we recommend you consider becoming an immigration consultant.
Salary expectations
Working in the legal profession can be financially rewarding, and immigration law is no exception. According to Glassdoor, immigration advisers earn between £20,000.00 per annum for some entry level positions, rising to as much as £40,000.00 per annum for experienced immigration consultants.
As in any industry, there are many opportunities available for more experienced immigration consultants, particularly those with the determination to create their own business.
Fast track into a legal profession
For some areas of the law, a solicitor or barrister is the only person sufficiently qualified to offer legal advice, however an immigration adviser doesn’t need a university degree to start giving advice. This is because, for immigration law, an additional category of legal professional, namely an immigration adviser or consultant, can provide immigration law services.
Immigration advisers are accredited and regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC), and, with the right support OISC Level 1 accreditation can be achieved relatively quickly.
With a placement at an OISC firm, alongside the training provided by a specialised legal training provider like Pacific Legal Training, you can become qualified as a Level 1 immigration adviser with less than six months’ experience. Becoming an OISC level 2 immigration adviser will generally take around 12 months’ experience, and to reach OISC Level 3 will take an additional six months of experience. If you are looking for immigration experience, you may want to consider listing your details, at no cost, here on our Work Opportunities page.
Important, exciting work
For some people, the idea of learning a large amount of complicated and technical regulatory information is less than thrilling. However, immigration law (and OISC accreditation) can provide an avenue of vital and exciting work.
Your work as an immigration adviser will change the lives of many people. When working with asylum seekers, your work could literally mean the difference between life and death for your client.
Immigration law has always been a subject of huge debate in British society. As recent events such as Brexit, the Windrush scandal and the tragic deaths on the Channel crossings have shown, there are many factors which can influence immigration policy. The need for qualified immigration advisers who can advocate for ‘the face behind the case’ has never been greater, as the UK Home Office is still struggling to implement the recommendations of the ‘Lessons Learned’ Review, published in July 2020.
Serving communities
Being the chosen adviser to a community of people can be hugely fulfilling. Many talented and dedicated immigration advisers working in the UK today have experienced their own immigration struggles, and know first-hand how complicated and difficult the immigration process can be. Understanding the personal circumstances of your client is a vital skill for anyone wishing to succeed as an immigration adviser.
Many immigration advisers choose their career path in direct response to the needs of a community. As people move to the UK and seek out employment and social opportunities amongst their close-knit minority communities, it’s only natural that these communities should develop their own infrastructure of services, particularly among communities where English is a second language, and additional support may be required.
To find out how Pacific Legal Training can put you on the path to becoming an immigration adviser, take a look at our OISC courses.
