Three years in London tech: An honest conversation with JB

Today I’m speaking with JB, who joined a tech scale-up in London and shortly, became a father. We explore his journey from the excitement of receiving a job offer to starting a new chapter of his life — raising a daughter and advancing his career during his three-year stint in London.

UK - Motivation and the Job Search

Me: I remember you mentioning that your wife was a big motivator. How did the decision actually happen?

JB: My wife was definitely the spark. We had actually lived in the UK briefly back in 2012–2013, you know, just after university — to earn some money and see a bit of the world. Back then, we told ourselves we’d come back one day. It was one of those "someday" promises, I guess.

Me: Did you consider any other countries?

JB: Traditionally, when Poles think about moving for work, it’s usually either Germany or the UK. Germany is the popular choice for those living near the western border or who are more comfortable with the language.

I actually studied both English and German in school for about 10 years, but I’ve always had a bit of a "hate-love" relationship with German. [laughs] English felt much more natural to me, mostly because of video games and being part of international online communities. As they say, "if you don’t use it, you lose it," and I certainly lost my German! Plus — and this might sound a bit random — I had a teacher who was absolutely in love with the UK, telling us stories about its history and culture. That really planted the seed of wanting to see it for myself.

And, well, another factor was that we had some extended family in the UK. We aren’t very close or anything, but knowing someone had already followed that route gave us a bit of confidence. It felt like if something went wrong, we’d at least have some support there.

Making the Move

JB: So, after Brexit, we honestly thought that door might have closed because of the visas. But we weren’t entirely happy with the job market in Poland at the time. Then, out of the blue, someone messaged me on LinkedIn about a new hiring platform (Hired.com). I’m usually not one for random platforms — you know how it is, you get so many of these messages — but something made me give it a try. The very next day, a recruiter contacted me. Things moved incredibly fast from there.

Editor's note: Hired.com was acquired, and the standalone Hired marketplace was effectively no longer operating as an independent job platform and traffic was being redirected into LHH recruitment solutions.

At what point did it feel "real" that you’re going to move to the UK?

JB: I think it was when the offer letter arrived. Like, that’s when it really hit me. And actually — this is kind of crazy — we found out my wife was pregnant around the same time. So that added a whole layer of uncertainty. We were like, "Should we even accept? Is this the right time?" But we followed our life rule: it’s better to try and see what happens than to regret never trying at all.

The Visa Process: Navigating Post-Brexit Paperwork

Since you moved after Brexit, how was the visa process?

JB: It was complicated, to say the least. Took about four months in total. To get a Skilled Worker visa, you first need that sponsorship letter from your employer. Then — and this was a bit tedious — you have to provide a detailed travel history for the last 10 years! Like, every trip you've taken. You also need a certain amount of points to qualify for the visa, as well as to pass an English test. That was actually one of the biggest hurdles for me — I looked up the venues and it's not like they're present in every city in Poland. I had to travel to another city, stay in a hotel, and pay a significant fee just to take the test. It was a whole thing.

Note: The UK Skilled Worker visa operates on a points-based system. To qualify, you generally need to score 70 points.

Did you have to calculate your own score?

JB: Yeah, I did the math myself, and I ended up with about 90 points due to my salary and education level. So that part was fine. But here's the thing — the qualification system is a just a green light - you qualify. But then additionally, and this is something people don't always realize, you need to make some payments upfront -the visa fee and the NHS Health Surcharge (IHS). And if you're moving with a family, this is a separate fee for each member. That is a massive initial investment, honestly. It depends how you negotiate it with the company you start with — in my case the company fully reimbursed for me and my wife, which was great. But it's not always the case, so this is definitely something you should be aware of before the move.

Editor's Note: For a Skilled Worker visa (up to 3 years), the fee is £819 per person as of 2026. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is £1,035 per year. For example, for a couple on a 3-year visa, the total upfront cost is £7,848 — calculated as (£1,035 × 3 years + £819 visa fee) × 2 people.

For Health and Care Worker visa, the fees are lower and there's IHS exemption. You can find more information about fees on the official GOV.UK website.

Finding a flat - remote research

JB: So I wanted to have everything settled beforehand - so I started looking for a flat while still being in Poland. I spent hours on Google Maps, literally dropping the "yellow man" (Street View) everywhere to explore the streets and see what the neighborhoods actually looked like. I had to buy a UK SIM card because agents would often just ignore me if I called from a Polish number. And even with a UK number, they’d offer viewings for today or tomorrow, which obviously wasn’t possible while we were still in Poland. Super frustrating.

Eventually, we found an agency that allowed online viewings, which felt like a win at the time. They showed us a pretty good apartment in the video. We signed a three-year deal based on that video.

A three-year contract? That sounds like a big commitment!

JB: Yeah... I would NOT recommend it to anyone. We used "Regent Property" and it really didn't work out for us. Looking back, I would say: never sign a long-term lease without seeing a place in person, or at least having a trusted person visit for you. Because when we actually arrived, we realised the video they showed us was clearly a decade old. The flat was in much worse condition, unfortunately. And because of the contract terms, we couldn't leave without a massive penalty — pretty harsh, right? We weren't able to sublet it either, and the contract stated something like if we want to move out, we have to pay the rent for the remaining months. So we were basically stuck.

Editor's Note: From May 1, 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act significantly changes England’s private rental market. A landlord cannot legally lock tenants into a long-term contracts anymore — even if they try to put it in writing. All tenancies become periodic rolling with 2 months notice period for tenants and 6 months for landlords.

Silver linings: Location and the commute

JB: But you know, despite all the frustrations with the agency, the location itself did have some perks. Decent playgrounds, a large park nearby. And I had been looking for something with a commute under 30 minutes — that was important to me. See, I had really missed being around people during the pandemic, so I was planning to come to the office every day. The commute time was a real priority. I got a bike, and honestly, cycling to the office for 20 minutes in London is an incredible advantage. First, it gave me a hard boundary between "work mode" and "home mode" — like, mentally switching off when I got home. And secondly, a practical upside: you can avoid the high costs of the London tube entirely.

Work Culture: Quality Over Speed

How did you find working in the UK? Is there any difference in work culture compared to Poland?

JB: Yes, definitely — and in a very positive way. In Poland, quite often the culture is "Why don't you know this already?" You know? It felt like you were constantly being judged for not knowing enough. In the UK, in my role anyway, it felt quite different. The complexity was high, sure, but people were incredibly supportive. There was a real focus on knowledge sharing, which I really appreciated. And I think the biggest shift for me was the "quality-first" mindset. We weren't rushing to ship code just to meet a sales goal; we were actually encouraged to test properly, collaborate with data analysts, and take true ownership of the product. That was refreshing.

Raising a Child in London

What was the experience of having a baby in the UK healthcare system?

JB: Actually, really positive. We used Homerton Hospital in East London, and the care was top-notch. One thing that surprised me — in the UK, you’re mostly seen by midwives rather than doctors for a healthy pregnancy. It’s a different system than what we were used to. You get a "Blue Book" for notes during pregnancy, and then a "Red Book" for the baby’s health records once they’re born. The Red Book becomes this little document you carry everywhere for years.

Editor's Note: In the UK, the "Blue Book" (Maternity Notes) records everything about a woman's pregnancy, while the "Red Book" (Personal Child Health Record) is the main health record used to track a child's growth, immunisations, and development.

Me: How did you spend weekends with you family?

There're lots of kids-friendly places in London. You have amazing places like the London Zoo, the Postal Museum (with the underground train!), and the Mudlarks gallery at the Museum of London Docklands. Natural History Museum and the Science Museum — they're right next to each other and are incredible for kids. The best part is that many of these major museums are free, which is amazing. And they're so large that you can't possibly see everything in one go, so you can keep coming back.

Me: Sounds ideal for families.

JB: In some ways, yeah. But then on the other hand, you have the more challenging side of the city — the "London grime," the occasional smell of weed in public parks, and the high cost of childcare. This is why we started looking for a house somewhere in a more family-friendly area later. Living in East London just didn't appeal to us long-term, especially compared to the quiet life in Poland.

How expensive is it to raise a child in London?

JB: You know, many people think raising a child in London is crazy expensive, but honestly, the day-to-day basics like food and nappies are actually quite affordable — probably about the same as in Poland. And the second-hand market is great here. We got basically everything we needed for the baby on Vinted.

But here’s the thing — the downside is that you often pay premium prices for things like dental work or even just a meal out. And not because the service is particularly good, but simply because the business has to pay London rents, you know? Travel within the UK is also surprisingly expensive. Some hotels charge extra for even the simplest things, like a child’s cot. It’s these "service premiums" and eventually the nursery costs that really eat into your budget.

Deciding to Leave: The Citizenship Calculation

You eventually decided to move back to Poland. Was it something you planned for from the start?

JB: Not really, no. We didn’t like East London that much, and we actually looked at buying a house somewhere in a more family-friendly area. We went to Newbury — it’s about an hour west of London. It was lovely, really nice actually, but still quite expensive. And it’s a small town, so it doesn’t provide the same level of convenience as living in London. At some point we realized we’d still be isolated from our family. Whenever we visited Poland, our daughter was so happy to be around her grandparents and cousins. That started weighing on us.

Me: Family is important, especially with kids.

JB: Exactly. And then there was another major factor — healthcare, specifically dentistry. Our daughter had a dental issue that we raised twice during private appointments in London, and both times we were assured everything was completely fine. "Nothing to worry about." But as soon as we saw a specialist in Poland, they identified a serious problem that required immediate treatment. Learning that we had lost months of critical time while paying premium London prices for poor advice... that was a huge wake-up call for us, honestly.

And then the financial rules changed. The cost for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and British Citizenship increased significantly. We sat down and calculated that for a family of three, we’d be looking at upwards of £10,000 to £15,000 just for the paperwork to stay permanently. That’s a lot of money.

The cost of "staying" (2026 estimates)

For a family of three (two adults, one child) moving from a Skilled Worker visa to permanent residence, the financial breakdown looks roughly like this:

Note: These figures are 2026 estimates and exclude optional priority processing fees or legal advice, which can add significant costs to the total.

Me: Damn, that's a lot of money. It never occurred to me that it basically triples for a family of three.

JB: Right? When you're single, it's manageable. But with a family, the numbers just... add up fast.

Anything cultural that stuck with you?

JB: London's vibe, honestly. People's openness. You see a 1m² patch of grass and that's enough - folks sit down, crack a beer, chat with strangers, just enjoy each other's company. A pub spills onto the pavement and suddenly it’s a party. That mindset - squeezing joy out of any available space, treating public life as something you participate in rather than rush through. This is something I'm taking back to Poland. It's rare. And I think it's beautiful. You wouldn’t experience this much in our country. We tend to be more reserved at home, more "indoor people." London taught me that connection doesn't need a venue or an occasion - just a bit of grass and willingness to look up from your phone.

Any "London habits" you brought back to Poland?

JB: [thinks for a moment] Professionally, I became way more confident and learned how to take ownership of complex systems. That's been huge for my career since coming back. And personally — this might sound a bit paranoid — but I learned to be much more aware of my surroundings. I still have the "London habit" of looking around and never keeping my phone in a visible place when I'm in public. [laughs] Old habits die hard, I guess.

Final Advice for Polish Expats

Me: Alright, last question — any top tips for someone thinking about making the same move?

JB: Oh, for sure. If you’re moving from Poland to London, I’d say:

1. Be cautious with deep East London: I’d suggest avoiding the further parts of East London, like Zone 4 or 5. The vibe might not be what you’re looking for as a new expat. Just my personal experience, though.
2. Spend time in the area before signing: Seriously, take two or three weeks to really explore your potential neighborhood. See what it looks like at different times of the day — especially in the late afternoon and evening — so you can see for yourself how the area really feels. Don’t make the mistake we made.
3. Hone your "ownership" skills: The UK tech market really values developers who care about the why as much as the how. That mindset will serve you well.