Coming to work in the UK

This section covers popular questions about working in the UK as an overseas veterinary surgeon

If you want to work in the UK, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) can help to make your working life that little bit easier and help ensure you quickly feel part of the UK veterinary profession.

We help veterinary professionals like you settle into the UK. It doesn’t matter what you specialise in, we can provide you with advice and support during your first year in the UK and beyond.

Why should you join?

The BVA is the largest UK veterinary association, with over 13,000 members.

Being a member of BVA will provide you with excellent support in your professional and personal life. Once you join you’ll have automatic access to a range of benefits including

• a free guide to job hunting and working in the UK

• the chance to enhance your knowledge and job search with free subscriptions to our popular In Practice and Veterinary Record publications

• free legal protection for you in your job, including a legal helpline, a mediation service and legal representation if you are working as an employee

• the opportunity to improve your skills with a range of discounts off clinical and non-clinical courses and exclusive access to the only veterinary Careers Fair in the UK

• a chance to network and meet other UK vets at our events and also online on our community forum.

• free personal accident insurance and access to significant discounts on a range of other personal and professional insurance products.

How much does it cost?

As a new registrant you can join the BVA for just £6 a month (£72 a year), a 70% discount off the normal price.

You won’t pay full membership rates until after your eighth year of membership, whether you leave the UK during that time or not.

Don’t just take our word for it

We believe that joining the BVA is the smartest move you can make as new entrant to the UK, but don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what Aranzazu Sanchez Rodriguez said about BVA membership: “I joined the BVA on coming to the UK so that I could benefit from the clinical training courses they offer. I attended eight courses in 2011 which I found really useful, and the member discount offered on the courses more than covered the cost of membership.”