The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Global Mobility Legal Assistant / Paralegal
2-3 yearsSkills to master
- Meticulous document preparation, data entry accuracy, basic understanding of visa categories, strong organisational skills, and effective communication with employees.
You're ready to move on when
- You can independently prepare a full petition packet for a standard visa type (e.g., H-1B extension) with minimal errors.
- You're the go-to person for tracking deadlines and managing case statuses for a subset of cases.
- You've started to proactively identify potential issues in cases before they're escalated.
- You're comfortable explaining basic immigration processes to employees clearly and empathetically.
- 2
HR Coordinator (with Mobility Focus)
3-4 yearsSkills to master
- Understanding of HR data systems (HRIS), basic employment law principles, employee relations, and project coordination. You'd need to layer on specific immigration knowledge.
You're ready to move on when
- You've managed the data collection and initial onboarding for international hires from an HR perspective.
- You understand the interplay between HR processes and immigration requirements.
- You've demonstrated a strong interest in deepening your legal knowledge in global mobility.
- You're adept at managing multiple tasks and coordinating with various internal departments.