Working and volunteering in Oxford

Finding work in Oxford

Everyone who is claiming Universal Credit (UC) is required to work closely with their Job Coach to find a job. You can get useful advice and guidance or be referred to English classes or professional training courses by the Job Centre. You will be required to follow the steps your Job Coach tells you to take to increase your chances of getting into employment, otherwise UC payments may be stopped.

You can also use the following links to look for a job:

The National Careers Service provides free and impartial careers advice, information and guidance to anyone aged 13+ no matter what stage of the careers journey you’re at.

Prospects is a graduate careers site with a detailed information on job profiles (Prospects website).

You may also find it useful to have an account with LinkedIn which is the world's largest online professional network.

Confirmation of your non-UK degree

When you start looking for a job your potential employer might ask you to prove your qualification if you have one and received it in a country other than the UK. For converting your non-UK qualifications, please visit the ENIC website.

You can get a Statement of Comparability of your non-UK qualifications to the UK education system. You will be asked to provide a legible copy of your degree with a certified English translation, or you can use the Translation Waiver service for an extra charge if you only have your degree in the original language. This is a paid service, which will cost you around £70 plus a £50 fee for the Translation Waiver service if you use it.

Jobs with large employers like universities, colleges, hospitals and health clinics

If you have relevant qualifications and have a reasonably good level of English, you are advised to look at the following links:

University jobs

Teaching jobs and training

NHS (National Health Service) jobs

Job fairs and Career fairs in Oxford Town Hall

Many local employers are represented at Job and Career fairs that are held regularly in Oxford, which is a great opportunity for you to meet your potential employer face-to-face and ask questions. You can find out when the next fair is on:

Childcare

Universal Credit can also pay some of your childcare costs. This includes holiday clubs, after-school clubs, and breakfast clubs for school-aged children. You can get up to 85% of childcare costs paid back to you. See the Universal Credit childcare costs pages on GOV.UK to find out more.

Support with job interviews

Benefits

To check how employment will change your benefit payments and what benefits you are entitled to, you can use Benefits calculator on the entitledto website.

Organisations offering employment support to refugees and migrants

If you still cannot find a job despite complying with your commitments to the Job Centre and searching through job websites, you are advised to approach organisations who provide employment support to refugees and migrants, which can help you create your CV, fill in job applications and prepare for interviews. There is no guarantee you will get a job immediately after completing the training or support programme, but you will be better prepared and aware of different options open to you.

Reed in Partnership - Refugee Employability Programme on the Reed in Partnership website
International Rescue Committee - IRC Job Readiness Training sign-up form
Breaking Barriers - Helping refugees find meaningful employment onthe Breaking Barriers website
Aspire Oxford - Employment support projects on the Aspire Oxfordshire Community Enterprise Ltd website
Asylum Welcome - Education and Employment pages on the Asylum welcome website
EMBS College - offers employment support to its students, including those who are attending ESOL classes - EMBS College careers service webpages

Self-employment

If you are thinking about starting your own business in the UK, visit our Business support schemes page to find out more about the support you might be able to get in Oxford.

Volunteering in Oxford

Volunteering can be a big step towards successful employment as it will help you to improve your English and get invaluable work experience in the UK.

Watch our videos to hear from some of the volunteers in Oxford:

Volunteering opportunities in Oxford

To find more about volunteering opportunities in Oxford please visit our Volunteer in Oxford pages or keep a lookout for volunteering opportunities on the Oxfordshire Community & Voluntary Action (OCVA) website.

Our list of Local support agencies for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers also includes charities that offer volunteering opportunities.

Volunteer with Multaka Oxford

Multaka Oxford is the award-winning project based in Oxford University’s Pitt Rivers Museum and History of Science Museum. Its aim is to bring communities together by sharing rich knowledge and heritage of people from all over the world who have made their home in Oxfordshire. Watch the Volunteer with Multaka video on YouTube to find out more or follow these links: