I was naïve when I moved to London for a better life. It's been difficult and lonely, but I'm not giving up.
Christophe LEHENAFF/Getty, Aoraee/Getty, Courtesy of Jerry Chiemeke, Tyler Le/BI
- Jerry Chiemeke moved from Nigeria to London in 2022, looking for writing career opportunities.
- He said the UK's job market is too competitive, and he's received rejection after rejection.
- Chiemeke is struggling in the UK but doesn't want to give up and return to Nigeria yet.
This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Jerry Chiemeke, a writer from London, about moving to the UK from Nigeria. Business Insider has verified his visa with documentation. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I'm from Nigeria, but I began experiencing disillusionment with the country I was born in.
Muhammadu Buhari became president in 2015. Under his leadership, there was national concern over human rights violations and an economic downturn. Our currency was impacted, and my friends started leaving, looking for better career opportunities in countries like the US, Canada, and the UK.
In Nigeria, I worked in law and media communications and also pursued writing. I reviewed books, wrote essays, and published poetry as a side venture, and also published a collection of short stories in 2020.
I wanted to be known as a writer, but I was unsure whether I should continue developing my career in Nigeria.
The COVID-19 pandemic made things worse economically and politically in Nigeria. On October 20, 2020, the Nigerian army opened fire on people protesting against police. There are varying reports on the death toll, ranging into the dozens.
I began planning to leave the country. Many young people became disillusioned after taking part in protests that culminated in a massacre. I didn't want to live in a country that I felt actively tried to eliminate its youth.
I eventually moved to the UK in 2022 on a Global Talent visa. I wanted to continue building my career as a creative, but I've since found it difficult to find permanent work.
I've traded one problem for another moving to the UK, but I'm not giving up on my dream.
I had to show I was eligible for a Global Talent Visa to come to the UK
The UK is linked to Nigeria through the Commonwealth, and there's a large Nigerian community here. I felt there were spaces where I would belong. I'd seen other Nigerian writers do well in the UK too.
I was accepted into some master's programs at British universities in 2021, but ultimately, the tuition fees and financial costs made it a more stressful option in the long term.
One of my friends suggested the Global Talent visa for skilled people in the academic, tech, and arts fields. It seemed like a good option with a viable pathway to getting indefinite leave to remain, where you can live and work in the UK as long as you like, and the opportunity for my creative work to be rewarded in the UK.
The application required evidence that I was a leader in my field or had the potential to be one. I submitted reviews of my book, an award I'd won and another I was nominated for, and letters of recommendation from several arts organizations, among other things.
I submitted the evidence to The Arts Council England and paid my application fees. After getting approval from the Arts Council, I took the endorsement letter, receipt of my visa fees and immigration surcharge, and my passport to the visa office in Lagos. My application was approved in August, permitting me to stay and work in the UK for up to five years.
To renew my visa after three years, I'd need evidence that I'd been earning money from my line of work. I wanted to stay in the UK indefinitely, so I needed to secure relevant paid opportunities.
It's been very difficult to get paid work in the UK's creative industry
I was hesitant about leaving everything and everyone I loved and concerned about starting my career again in a new country.
Every day in Nigeria feels like summer, but I landed in the UK in autumn, which quickly transitioned to winter. I had to get used to it getting dark by 4 p.m.
I saved a great deal before moving. I was fairly comfortable with the income from my full-time job and writing side hustles in Nigeria, and for around eight months, I spent less than a third of my salary to save before resigning from my job.
Before arriving in the UK, I'd lined up part-time editing work. I'd been vigorously applying for full-time employment in the arts but couldn't land anything. After around three months in the UK, I secured a full-time position as a digital marketing executive for a power tool company.
My job involves some copywriting, but I want to work in the UK's creative industry. I applied to editing and contributor roles but got rejection after rejection. I've been able to freelance but haven't secured permanent creative work.
London was lonely. I stayed with a friend in London for the first six weeks before moving into my own apartment. I had Nigerian friends who lived across England, but it was difficult to meet up.
I knew how the creative industry worked in Nigeria, but I don't have the same knowledge of opportunities here, and there's only so much you can Google.
In Nigeria, I've worked as a staff writer and senior editor, but I feel there's more competition for the same kind of roles in the UK. Sometimes, when I see an opening on LinkedIn, 100 people will have applied in the past hour.
Some organizations that have rejected me have said they want candidates with more UK experience, so the criteria seem quite stringent here.
I thought I was entering a senior stage of my career in Nigeria, but in the UK, I can't land midlevel jobs. I've seen some of my Nigerian peers apply for entry-level British jobs who were at a mid-senior level back home.
That being said, being at a senior level in Nigeria wouldn't necessarily be an improvement because the economic downturn affects people, and inflation is soaring.
Although struggling in the UK, I don't want to return to Nigeria.
The UK isn't perfect, but I want to stay for the career opportunities
I was naïve when I first arrived. Earning in pounds felt like a big deal because of the exchange rate. There are never power outages like in Nigeria, and I feel safer. However, the reality is that the UK is not perfect. Inflation fluctuates, rents increase, and sometimes public transport fails.
There are trade-offs with a decision to migrate. Ultimately, I want to stay in the UK because it's better for my career. Despite the fierce competition, there are more opportunities to get eyes on my work. I just need to get my foot in the door.
My visa allows me to work in the UK until October 2025. After five years in the country, I plan to apply for renewal and then for indefinite leave to remain, but I need to rack up more paid opportunities.
I've proven myself in Nigeria; now, I must prove myself in the UK. It's a challenge, but the route wouldn't be worth it if it were easy.
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