How Jumpstart London Solves the 10 Biggest Challenges for New Arrivals
Key takeaways
- Your job introductions, first room and arrival week are sorted before you fly.
- Your UK bank account and SIM are set up before you fly, and your life admin is sorted in your first week: right to work and right to rent share codes, your National Insurance number and an arrival orientation.
- Events roles pay £13.50–£16 an hour plus holiday pay, with shifts from your first week.
- Support lasts for the length of your visa, including interviews for other roles and a 24/7 emergency contact.
Landing in London without a job, a room or a network is hard. In 10 challenges new arrivals face finding a job in London, we set out what gets in the way. Here's how Jumpstart London clears each one, so you start working and settle in faster.
The 10 challenges: with and without Jumpstart London
| Challenge | Without Jumpstart London | With Jumpstart London |
|---|---|---|
| 1. No UK work experience | Competing for jobs that want UK experience | Introductions to events employers who train you at induction, so no experience is needed |
| 2. No UK referees | No one in the UK to vouch for you | Shifts from your first week, so your first UK manager can be a referee within weeks |
| 3. Paperwork before your first shift | Sorting your bank, National Insurance number, SIM and right to work alone | UK bank account and SIM set up before you fly, plus help with your share codes, National Insurance number and visa services |
| 4. Employers wanting long-term staff | Passed over for permanent roles | Flexible, travel-friendly roles built for working holiday makers |
| 5. Qualifications and tickets from home | Tickets that don't transfer | Employers train you, and our crew partner offers paid training such as forklift and working at heights |
| 6. Arriving at a quiet time | Landing when nobody's hiring | Help choosing your arrival week around the busy seasons |
| 7. Running out of money before payday | Weeks of rent and costs with no income | Shifts from your first week, weekly rent with a small deposit, and our new arrival budget planner |
| 8. No network in London | Starting with no contacts | Social events, other new arrivals, and interviews arranged with employers in our network |
| 9. No settled accommodation | Hostels and short stays that put employers off | A bed guaranteed before you fly, with weekly rent and short notice periods |
| 10. The greenhorn effect | Seen as a risk because you've just landed | Arrival orientation, in-country support and a 24/7 emergency contact from day one |
Why a starter job and room matter more than ever
Starter jobs have almost halved in ten years, and AI and experienced applicants are squeezing what's left. Arriving with a room and job introductions lined up means you don't have to scramble in your greenhorn weeks. Read more in why a starter job and room matter more than ever.
Hospitality is still the best way in, but who you work for matters
Hospitality and events are still the best first jobs in London, and among the least exposed to AI. But on your own, you're a new face with no contacts, no UK work history and no loyalty built up.
That matters when you want to travel. Many agencies and employers give their best shifts to staff who are there week in, week out, because they need people they can rely on. Disappear for a fortnight in Europe and you can come back to find your shifts have gone to someone else. Plenty of new arrivals end up facing a hard choice: they can't afford to lose their job, so they give up the travel they came for.
Work that lets you travel
- A partnership since 2009. The Working Holiday Club has worked with the same employers since 2009. We send them a steady flow of new arrivals every week, at no cost to them.
- Priority from day one. In return, Jumpstart participants get priority, extra support and a clear agreement from the start.
- Pick your own shifts. Work and travel as much as you like. Our events partner tells new starters there's no minimum number of shifts each week, and that they're welcome to take time off to holiday and travel.
- Free to move on. Many Jumpstart participants step into full-time, career-focused roles after around six weeks, and that's exactly what a starter job is for.
- The door stays open. If your road leads back at any point during your visa, get in touch and we'll get you back on shifts as soon as there's work available.
You came for a working holiday, not just the work. You shouldn't have to choose between your job and your travels.
Before you fly
- Your job application is reviewed and you're matched with your first employer, so you know where you'll be working before you land.
- A bed is guaranteed in Zone 1 city rooms, hotel-style rooms or share houses, with weekly rent, bills included and short notice periods. City rooms need just a £200 deposit.
- We help you choose your arrival week around London's busy seasons. See the best time to arrive in London.
- Your UK bank account and SIM are set up before you fly, so you land with a UK phone number and somewhere for your pay to go.
Your first week: life admin sorted
- An arrival orientation to get you set up and show you around.
- Life admin sorted: help getting your right to work and right to rent share codes, and applying for your National Insurance number, so paperwork doesn't hold up your first shift or your room.
- Your employer's induction, then you start booking shifts, paying £13.50–£16 an hour plus holiday pay.
- London social events with other new arrivals, so you're building a network from day one.
You arrive settled, with an address to give employers, housemates who've just arrived too, and a team to call if anything goes wrong.
Your first months
- UK experience and references from your first job, which make every application after it stronger.
- Interviews arranged for admin, barista, hospitality and live-in roles in our network when you're ready for something new.
- Flexible, travel-friendly shifts, so you can fit in interviews or a trip around Europe.
- A switch to a live-in hotel or pub job at any point, if you'd rather live and work outside the city.
For as long as your visa lasts
Job support lasts for the length of your visa, alongside in-country support and a 24/7 emergency contact. Our employer partners hire new arrivals regularly and know you've got support behind you, which helps you get past the "just landed" stage faster.
Good to know
Jobs are offered directly by independent employers and depend on availability, employer requirements and right-to-work checks. Everything is flexible: you're free to look for other work at any time.
FAQ
Is a job guaranteed with Jumpstart London?
Your job application is reviewed before you fly and you're introduced to employers who hire Jumpstart participants. Roles are offered directly by independent employers, so they depend on availability, employer requirements and right-to-work checks.
Do I have to use Jumpstart accommodation?
No, but we recommend having a room from day one. It gives you an address for your bank account and employers, and lets you look at other places without pressure.
Can I change jobs once I'm in London?
Yes. Our team can set up interviews for other roles in our network, and you're free to find work on your own at any time.
When can I arrive?
Jumpstart London has a limited number of arrival spots each week. Check the best time to arrive in London, then tell us your preferred week.
Start your Jumpstart London journey
Tell us when you'd like to arrive, and we'll line up your room and job introductions before you fly.
Apply for Jumpstart London →Keep reading: 10 challenges new arrivals face finding a job in London and our new arrival budget planner.
