Want to be part of the legal profession? Since there are different types of attorneys, you may want to narrow down your target by identifying the field you want to specialize in. If you happen to be interested in immigration matters, you may want to try your luck as an immigration lawyer.
As the name suggests, an immigration lawyer refers to a person who specializes in immigration law. In the U.K., these attorneys play a vital role in assisting people who have immigration matters that need to be resolved – from petitions to applications to many other things.
Below, we have prepared a brief guide that will let you discover what it means to be an immigration lawyer in the U.K. Read on to know more about the duties, qualifications, and average pay that surround this profession. Here they are.
Immigration Lawyers – What are They?
To simply explain, immigration attorneys specialize in the laws and policies surrounding immigration matters. Their main task is to assist foreign citizens and immigrants in dealing with immigration requirements.
The common duties that immigration lawyers do include providing their clients with legal counsel and advice on immigration laws, helping them file petitions, applications, and other important forms, drafting complex case matters, such as support letters, audit responses, and appeals, and if necessary, appear in court to represent their clients.
The people these professionals take as clients include businesses and entrepreneurs, skilled or temporary workers, as well as international students and pupils.
How to Become an Immigration Lawyer – Qualifications, Education, and Experience
Similar to other lawyers, immigration attorneys are required to satisfy a few educational criteria.
In the U.K., in order to secure a career in immigration, asylum, or nationality law, you can choose to either become a barrister or a solicitor.
If you opt the first one, you will need to have a law degree or a postgraduate law conversion course leading to the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). You must also have finished a vocational stage of training, called the Bar Professional Training Course, along with a year of pupillage.
Meanwhile, if you want to become a solicitor, you will need to have a law degree or a postgraduate law conversion course leading to the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). You must also attend a vocational stage of training, called the Legal Practice Course, which usually takes one to two years.
Average Pay of an Immigration Lawyer
To date, immigration lawyers are considered to be among the best paid professionals in the U.K. According to Indeed, the average salary for an immigration lawyer is currently set at £47,000 per year.
The Bottom Line
Impressed with the duties and benefits of becoming an immigration attorney? Think you have the talent and passion to become one? If you love helping other people, are confident and competitive, and don’t mind going through complex works and cases, then this career might be the best bet for you!