Work Abroad Advice in UK or Spain?

My boyfriend and I, who are students in the US, would like to work next summer abroad somewhere like the UK or Spain. I have a lot of experience with the spanish language and he has some. We both have custoemer service and banquet experence and he is also in culinary school. I have seen ads for work where you pay a company to provide you with a job and possibly room and board. Are these reputible or do you have any advice/experience concerning working abroad?





Thank you!!Work Abroad Advice in UK or Spain?
It's pretty much impossible to get unskilled/service work in the EU if you are an American citizen. There is no working-holiday program with the US like there is with several other countries like Canada, because the US won't make a reciprocal agreement.





To get a work visa in the UK, you need a job offer or you can apply as a highly-skilled worker. Both require that you score highly enough on their points-based system. You can't get a job offer for a position that has enough UK applicants (like customer service), and without a degree you won't make the points as a highly-skilled worker either. Soon the UK will be requiring a Master's degree for these applicants.


http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/…





Both Spain and the UK must advertise the position within the country first, and show that there were no acceptable applicants from the EU. This means if you want to work in the EU, you need to have a career in a needed field (like healthcare or engineering) or highly specialised skills.





Your best chance would be to study abroad for the summer, and apply for a student permit.Work Abroad Advice in UK or Spain?
Work in the hospitality trade in the UK and Spain is very limited at the moment so you would find it difficult to get work in either country. Do not pay an agency to find you work, you will almost certainly be ripped off.
To be legit you'd need a work visa/permit. Though I suppose you could work ';under the table'; so to speak at a pub or restaurant. Be careful with any agency unless you know of people who have successfully used it. They could just rob you and leave you with nothing. You may be better off finding work on your own.