How to Become an International Travel OT in the UK

Occupational therapists are in high demand all over the world. This is your guide to becoming an international travel OT in the UK!

Working as an OT in the UK

This post covers topics related to how to become registered to work in the UK. You can find out more about my personal experience and what it’s like to work as an occupational therapist in the UK in this post.

The National Health Service

Most occupational therapists in the UK are employed by the National Health Service-the UK’s universal healthcare system.

The NHS is currently facing a significant shortage of occupational therapists, with Brits in some parts of the UK waiting three years to see an occupational therapist.

This shortage stems from several factors, including an aging population, the lingering effects of the pandemic, and the impact of Brexit—all of which have increased the demand for occupational therapists, especially from abroad.

Long-Term Visa Eligibility

While many travel OT positions in the UK can last for weeks to months, moving to the UK is a much bigger undertaking that moving from state to state. Because of this, and because the your new employer will be investing time and money in you as well, you should plan on moving to the UK for at least a year.

But fortunately, occupational therapists are eligible for a Health and Care Worker Visa, which comes with several advantages. It can be granted for up to five years, and unlike many other visas, it can be a path to UK citizenship!

Relocation assistance

Additionally, some NHS trusts even offer relocation packages or financial help, especially in areas where OTs are in high demand. These can cover things like travel, temporary housing, or part of your moving expenses!

When I began my job search to move from the US to the UK to work for the NHS, I received several job offers, each with a relocation package. One of the first offers was for a role in a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in a stunning coastal area of England. It came with a generous £8,000 (about $10,000) to help with moving costs—enough to cover most of our relocation!

Ultimately, I decided that the intensity of the PICU setting was not the right setting for my first position with the NHS. Instead, I chose a Band 6 OT position (more on pay bands later in the post) that covered my plane ticket, train travel, and my first month’s accommodation at a lovely Airbnb.

Exempt from the immigration Health Surcharge

The Health and Care Visa also came with the added bonus of being exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHC)—a significant fee that most visa holders have to pay for access to the UK’s universal healthcare.

This, combined with the job relocation support, made it a wonderful opportunity to move to the UK without draining our savings. It was a cost-effective way to start our new life in the UK!

Occupational Therapist Scope of Practice in the UK

In the UK, occupational therapists tend to focus more on mental health and social care aspects of practice compared to the US, where OTs are more involved in treating physical conditions.

You will find that in highly specialized practice areas, such as hand therapy or vestibular rehabilitation, OT involvement might be less common. These issues are often addressed by specialists such as physiotherapists or orthopedic surgeons, with less overlap in OT practice.

Officially, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists states, “Any activity that an occupational therapist uses or does therapeutically, in order to enable or enhance occupational performance, may be considered within the professional scope of practice.”

In practice, you might find that your clinical role is more limited compared to what you’re used to, although this is starting to change!

Step 1: Join the Royal College of Occupational Therapists

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) is the UK equivalent of the AOTA.

While joining the RCOT isn’t mandatory, it’s highly recommended. Membership provides access to valuable resources, networking opportunities, and professional development support that can significantly enhance your career as an occupational therapist.

Remember, working as an OT for the NHS is different than anything you have done in your home country. It’s important to learn as much as you can before you start.

Additionally, you’ll be asked about your RCOT membership when applying for registration and when seeking positions.

Step 2: Get Your OT Credentials Recognized in the UK

If you’re wondering whether the UK will accept your foreign OT credentials, the short answer is no. But don’t worry—you won’t need to return to school! Instead, you’ll have to have your international credentials recognized by the HCPC.

The HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) is the organization that regulates health and care professionals in the UK, including occupational therapists.

The entry-level degree for occupational therapy in the UK is an undergraduate qualification that takes three years to complete. When I first applied to practice in the UK, I held a Bachelor of Science in OT—even though I later completed a Master’s degree while in the UK.

You will need to follow these steps to have your OT credentials recognized before you start applying for positions.

Tip: If you read this post about what it’s like to work in the UK as an OT, you will know that mental health is one of the largest practice areas in the UK. In order to have your credentials accepted, you will need to demonstrate that you have had sufficient training, continuing education, and/or experience in this area.

Remember, as occupational therapists, we address the whole patient. For example, when treating someone after a hip surgery, you’re not just focusing on the hip—you’re considering their mental health, socioeconomic factors, family dynamics, psychosocial factors, and more.

Use your comprehensive experience to strengthen your application!

Step 3: Apply for the Register

Once your credentials recognized, you will need to register with HCPC. This is like when you graduated OT school, but still had to take become licensed in your state to practice.

To become registered, you will need to tell them about your professional experience (remember to include mental health), complete the online application, and follow their clear, step-by-step instructions.

Understanding the Pay Bands

Like many roles in the UK, the pay for occupational therapists is significantly less than in the US. In the US, OTs earn an average of around $84,000 per year (about $40 per hour), with higher wages in states like California and New York.

In the UK, most OTs start on Band 6 of the NHS pay scale, earning between £31,365 and £37,890 per year (roughly $38,000–$46,000 USD), which comes to about £16–£19 per hour (approximately $18–$21 USD).

Keep in mind that in order to be eligible for sponsorship, your position in the UK will need to meet certain financial requirements. You’ll usually need to be paid at least £29,000 per year, or the lower ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher.

Here are the current Agenda for Change pay rates…

Band	Experience	Salary	Examples of Roles
5	< 2 years	£29,970	Trainee Occupational Therapists
	2-4 years	£32,324
	4+ years	£36,483
6	< 2 years	£37,338	Entry-level Qualified Occupational Therapists
	2-5 years	£39,405
	5+ years	£44,962
7	< 2 years	£46,148	Experienced/Senior Occupational Therapists
	2-5 years	£48,526
	5+ years	£52,809
8a	< 2 years	£53,755	Advanced Practitioners
	2-5 years	£56,454
	5+ years	£60,504
8b	< 2 years	£62,215	Managerial/Leadership Roles
	2-5 years	£66,246
	5+ years	£72,293

Sponsorship for a Visa

Not every position is eligible for visa sponsorship for international applicants. As you search for jobs, you can check whether a position offers sponsorship by scrolling to the bottom of the job listing. If the position is eligible, you’ll see a section that looks something like this:

Supervision

The UK places a much greater emphasis on supervision compared to the US. Band 5 OTs are considered entry-level and typically require regular supervision from higher bands. Higher bands, especially Band 7 and above, are often less involved in direct patient care. Instead, these roles focus more on leadership, managerial tasks, and academic responsibilities.

If, like me, you have many years of experience, it might seem logical to aim for a Band 7 or 8 role, which come with a higher salary. But if you’re new to the NHS, I would advise caution when considering jumping straight into a senior position.

When I first began applying to the NHS, I believed I was well-qualified for a Band 7 role, and clinically, I was. However, as a Band 7 therapist, I would have been responsible for supervising an entire team of clinicians in a healthcare system and country I was unfamiliar with.

So, I decided to apply for Band 6 positions and requested the top of the pay scale for that band. In my Band 6 role, I still supervised two Band 3 workers on my ward, but I found it much more manageable than overseeing an entire team of therapists!

Annual Leave and Sick Time

I mentioned earlier in this post that the pay for occupational therapists in the UK is lower than in the US, but let’s take a moment to highlight some of the great perks that come with working in the NHS!

Annual Leave

OTs working for the NHS enjoy a generous annual leave allowance, starting at 27 days per year for full-time staff, plus 8 public holidays—that’s nearly 6 weeks off every year! After five years of service, this increases to 29 days.

In my first year with the NHS, I used my leave to take several long weekends exploring Europe and the UK, along with a few week-long vacations. We visited France (twice!), Italy, Spain, Scotland, and Wales—all in that first year!

sick time

NHS occupational therapists are entitled to sick leave as part of their employment benefits, which varies depending on their length of service. The standard sick leave entitlement is:

• First year of service: Up to 1 month of full pay, followed by 2 months of half pay.
• 2 to 5 years of service: Up to 4 months of full pay, followed by 4 months of half pay.
• Over 5 years of service: Up to 6 months of full pay, followed by 6 months of half pay.

Maternity and Paternity leave

Maternity and paternity leave for occupational therapists in the NHS is another major perk, allowing new parents time to bond with their newborns. OTs are entitled to 52 weeks of leave, with the first 26 weeks being paid.

The pay is structured to provide 90% of your average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, followed by a flat rate for the remaining 33 weeks.

In my first position with the NHS, I covered for a therapist who was on maternity leave. When she returned to work after spending a year at home with her baby, I was amazed to learn that she had actually accrued 26 days of annual leave during her maternity leave and needed to take an additional month off!

Alternative schedules for working parents

Under UK employment law, parents with children under the age of 16 (or 18 for disabled children) can request flexible working after 26 weeks of employment.

This might involve adjusting working hours, working from home, or changing shift patterns to better accommodate childcare needs.

Avoiding Overwhelm

If you are feeling overwhelmed, don’t despair. When I first researched what it would take to move to the UK from the US, I was ready to throw in the towel. The list of things to do seemed endless.

But remember, you can take it one step at a time and trust that everything will fall into place. One strategy I found helpful was to make a vision board that kept me focused on all of the reasons we wanted to make this move! I worked on our move little by little, and before I knew it, we were boarding a plane to London to start our new life in the UK!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this post. If you’re looking to diving deeper into the application process and interviewing with the NHS, check out our top-rated expat guide for insider tips and advice!

This post has been all about how to become an international travel OT in the UK. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments!