Employment Opportunities in Edinburgh

Arrival in Edinburgh

The City of Edinburgh Council’s Resettlement team have created an arrival process for people who have been displaced by the conflict in Ukraine and who have chosen to come to live in Edinburgh.

Information on the support available is on(this will open in a new window)City of Edinburgh Council’s dedicated page which covers arrival, settling in Edinburgh, financial support and grants available alongside advice on schools and nurseries.

Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) Registration & Claiming Universal Credit

One of the first things you must do after arriving in Edinburgh, is register with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) who will ensure that you are receiving the financial support you are entitled to and can also help support you with moving into employment.

It is essential that you register, as it generates your National Insurance (NI) number which you will need to give to an employer to sustain long-term work.

To register for Universal Credit:

• contact the Universal Credit hotline on freephone 0800 328 5644
• or attend your nearest (this will open in a new window)local Job Centre to speak with an Advisor.

You can learn more about how Universal Credit works(this will open in a new window) here.

Ukrainian Support Hubs across Edinburgh

There have been 3 hubs set up to provide central and focused support for those arriving and settling in Edinburgh. All are based within the city centre and further information is available here.

Once you have settled into accommodation, registered with DWP and feel ready to start looking for work there are a range of organisations that can help.

The Employment Opportunities in Edinburgh video and the information below are designed to give a brief overview of employment and training opportunities within the city, helping you identify and access support and services as quickly and easily as possible.

Edinburgh has a wide choice of jobs across many different industries. The largest employment sectors are highlighted below with links to some useful websites and organisations.

Retail

The vibrant retail sector in Edinburgh contains businesses of all shapes and sizes from small boutiques and independents to large global brands. Roles are varied and include sales assistants, visual merchandisers, store supervisors and managers.

To view the latest roles in Retail:

• (this will open in a new window)FUSE
• (this will open in a new window)Fort Kinnaird Recruitment & Skills Centre
• (this will open in a new window)Edinburgh Guarantee
• (this will open in a new window)DWP Find A Job

Hospitality

As a tourist hotspot, Edinburgh has a thriving hospitality sector and roles are incredibly diverse; including chefs, kitchen porters, bar staff, baristas, cocktail makers and waiting staff and the sector offers flexible shifts outside the standard 9-5 with opportunities for quick progression.

To view the latest roles in Hospitality:

• (this will open in a new window)FUSE
• (this will open in a new window)Fort Kinnaird Recruitment & Skills Centre
• (this will open in a new window)Edinburgh Guarantee
• (this will open in a new window)DWP Find A Job

Health & Social Care

Health & Social Care staff are in large demand and positions are available across the National Health Service, Local Authorities and private businesses. Many of the roles focus on supporting the elderly, children or vulnerable groups and may be within a care home setting, a school or helping someone live independently in their own home.

This is a significant employment sector, both in Edinburgh and across Scotland, and those that work within it help support individuals to lead independent and fulfilling lives. Those working in the care sector

You can find out more about the roles available in the Health & Social Care sector in our ‘(this will open in a new window)Proud to Care’ video

To view the latest roles in Health & Social Care:

• (this will open in a new window)Health & Social Care Roles
• (this will open in a new window)MyJobScotland
• (this will open in a new window)NHS Jobs
• (this will open in a new window)NHS Scotland Careers
• NHS Scotland Recruitment
• (this will open in a new window)DWP Find A Job

Construction

An ever-expanding city, Edinburgh has lots of opportunities for jobs within the construction sector, with skilled tradespeople needed and new entrants to the sector encouraged.

To work on any building site, you need to hold certain safety qualifications which we can help support with organising and covering the cost involved.

To view the latest roles in Construction:

• (this will open in a new window)Careers in Construction
• (this will open in a new window)DWP Find A Job

Business & Finance

As Scotland’s finance capital, many businesses have their headquarters in the city and there are organisations across both private and public sector that look for staff across an enormous range of roles including reception, administration, call-centre, marketing, sales, finance and IT.

To view the latest roles in Business & Finance:

• (this will open in a new window)DWP Find A Job

Digital & Creative

Edinburgh is also home to a large mix of theatres, museums, music venues and the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe, meaning there are no shortage of roles linked to the digital and creative industries.

To view the latest roles in Digital and Creative:

• (this will open in a new window)Creative Edinburgh
• (this will open in a new window)DWP Find A Job

Self-employment

If you want to start your own business, there are free self-employment workshops and seminars focused on providing information and advice on start-ups and working for yourself.

To find the latest self-employment events and support visit:

• (this will open in a new window)Business Gateway

There are a number of organisations that can help support you in finding work.

Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)

• Contact your (this will open in a new window)local Job Centre

Skills Development Scotland (SDS)

The National Skills Agency for Scotland which offer employability support with specialised Careers Advice

• (this will open in a new window)My World of Work
• 0131 718 2040
• 79 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh, EH2 4SD

Employability Support Organisations

Employability organisations under Joined Up for Jobs offer personalised support from an employment worker to:

• Create an individual action plan
• Identify training
• Highlight job opportunities available
• CV support
• Help with applications
• Interview Preparation
• In-work support

Recruitment & Skills Centres

Our Recruitment & Skills Centres cover the city and support recruitment for two of Edinburgh’s largest retail areas and the teams are on-site to help support with employability support, job searches, applications and job matching.

Fort Kinnaird Recruitment & Skills Centre for roles within Fort Kinnaird Shopping Centre

• (this will open in a new window)Fort Kinnaird Recruitment & Skills website
• 0131 669 9883
• enquiries@rscfortkinnaird.co.uk

FUSE for roles within St James Quarter and the city centre.

• (this will open in a new window)FUSE website
• 0131 370 3850
• hello@edinburghfuse.com

Macmillian Skills hub for support into new jobs and careers.

• macmillanskillshub@capitalcitypartnership.org
• Hub location: Muirhouse Millennium Centre, Muirhouse Medway, Edinburgh, EH4 4RW, United Kingdom

Opening hours:

• Mondays, 10:00 – 16:00
• Tuesdays, 10:00 – 16:00
• Wednesdays, 10:00 – 16:00
• Thursdays, 10:00 – 16:00
• Fridays, By Appointment
• Saturdays, Closed.
• Sundays, Closed.

Free training is available through the Vocational Training Framework (VTF) which provides sector-specific qualifications and a guaranteed interview with an actively hiring employer.

Sectors covered include:

• Retail
• Hospitality
• Banking & Finance
• Construction
• Health & Social Care
• Early Learning & Childcare
• Warehouse & Logistics
• Digital & Creative

Register your interest or learn more about the Vocational Training Framework.

Local Employability Support

You can speak with one of the organisations that can advise on the latest vacancies here.

To browse the latest vacancies available, you can also access the job boards below:

• (this will open in a new window)Edinburgh Guarantee
• (this will open in a new window)FUSE Recruitment & Skills Hub
• (this will open in a new window)Fort Kinnaird Recruitment & Skills Centre

Direct job vacancy search

Many vacancies in Edinburgh are also advertised directly by employers or recruitment agencies on larger, national job boards, the websites listed below are the most popular ones.

• (this will open in a new window)S1 Jobs
• (this will open in a new window)Indeed
• (this will open in a new window)Total Jobs
• (this will open in a new window)DWP Find A Job
• (this will open in a new window)My Job Scotland (Public sector roles)
• (this will open in a new window)Goodmoves (Charity & Third Sector)

Recruitment Agencies

There are also a number of recruitment agencies that operate within the city and can offer support in finding permanent or temporary roles across a numerous sectors and businesses.

You can search for agencies in Edinburgh by job sector(this will open in a new window) here.

Recruitment agencies should never charge you for finding you work and temporary workers are also covered by the legislation around the National Living Wage.

What do employers expect?

Most employers expect that you will apply with a CV or resume, along with an appropriate cover letter or email that is tailored to the role that you are applying for.

We can help support you with access to digital equipment, finding suitable job vacancies, creating or updating your CV and preparing for interviews.

What can you expect?

You can expect to be treated fairly and work in a safe environment with adequate breaks.

By law, you should receive as a minimum the National Living Wage for any role that you undertake and there should be no deductions for accommodation, food etc which would reduce your hourly pay below this rate. You can check the latest pay rates (this will open in a new window)here.

If you feel that you need support for any issues within the workplace you can contact Support at Work who will advise you free of charge.

Proof of Right to Work

Your employer needs to check you have proof or right to work in the UK so they may ask to see your passport or any visa that you have been given. They may take copies of these for your employment file but they do not keep the originals.

They may also ask to see proof of your National Insurance (NI) number but you can start work without one and can continue to work whilst you are waiting for your NI appointment and confirmation to come through.

National Insurance

All workers in the UK pay National Insurance which is on average 13.25% of your earnings and will show on your payslip. It is designed to pay towards the National Health Service and is in addition to Income Tax. Your NI number is automatically generated when you register with the Department of Work & Pensions.

Income Tax

Is paid by all workers who earn above £12,570 per year and this is paid to the Scottish Government. This will also show on your payslip as the code SL1257.

Travel

(this will open in a new window)Lothian Buses manage Edinburgh’s bus and tram network, which cover the entire city and outlying areas.

Those under 22 or over 60 qualify for free bus travel and you can apply online (this will open in a new window)here.

If you cannot apply online or need any help, you can attend the Customer Hub at 249 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ.

Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 10am to 12 noon and 2pm to 4pm.

If you are having any difficulties in obtaining bus travel passes in relation to starting a job, you can speak with your local Job Centre Advisor who will be able to help.

Childcare & Schools

Childcare is provided through a mix of private and council run nurseries and there are various grants and schemes to help support you with accessing and paying for childcare.

More information is available (this will open in a new window)here.

Digital Support

If you do not have access to digital equipment then public PC’s and internet are freely available at all Edinburgh Council libraries. A list of which are available (this will open in a new window)here.

If you need support in obtaining SIM cards, devices or wifi access, you can speak to someone within the City of Edinburgh Council resettlement team who will be able to request devices on your behalf if you are eligible.

ESOL lessons

For health & safety reasons, you will need to have a reasonable level of English before you start work.

Free English ESOL lessons are available from a number of organisations and further info is available (this will open in a new window)here.

For any other information related to general support for Ukrainians within Edinburgh please visit (this will open in a new window)City of Edinburgh Council’s dedicated page which will give information and contact details to other organisations that may be helpful.