Global Perspectives: A SLP's Journey Working Abroad #2 (Location: United Kingdom)

This week in our SLP’s working abroad series, we have Rabab. She moved from Pakistan to the United Kingdom (UK) and she talks all about the process of moving to the UK and learning about the different cultural and language/dialectal variations amongst cultures.

Thank you Rabab for sharing your story with us!

1. What is your name, pronouns, and your job/professional title?

   Rabab Sehr (she/her); Speech and language therapist

2. Tell me about yourself. Where did you initially move from (before you worked abroad) and what graduate school did you attend? Why did you become a SLP? 

   From Pakistan. Completed 4 years bachelors from Ziauddin university in SLT then moved to the UK.

3. What city and country do you currently work in, what setting  do you work in (e.g., international school, clinic, university, research, etc.), and what age range do you currently work with? How long have you been working abroad?

   I am working for NHS England, United Kingdom. It’s been five years working here in the UK. I have worked in a private sector now in the NHS.

4. Where did you apply for this SLP international job and how was the application process?

   I moved to the Uk as a student to complete post graduation in EDUCATION. While I was studying I started working as a speech and language therapy assistant for a private practice and simultaneously applied for my health care professional council registration. It took.

5. What did the process look like for you to move abroad (e.g., obtaining visas/work permits or sponsorships, finding a place to live, moving, SLP licensure, etc.)?

   The application process is straightforward, lengthy and slow. After submission it took 8-9 months for my registration to arrive. This was in 2019. I hope it’s swift now. Luckily I had submitted my thesis and was ready for the job hunt as a an licensed SLT. After getting my registration I applied for the RCSLT (royal college of speech and language therapy) registration. Getting registration from rcslt was quick and easy. Later I applied for several band 6 jobs considering I had 5 years experience in the field but employers were willing to hire me as a band 5 NQP ( newly qualified professional). Despite the fact that all the time in the uk I was studying and working as an SLTA (assistant) as an SLTA I couldn’t do the assessments and had to follow the targets set by my supervisor.

6. What motivated you to pursue work opportunities abroad as an SLP?

   I moved to the UK on a student visa so later switched to work visa.

7. How does the pay rate, cost of living, and quality of life compare to living in your home country?

   Well there’s no comparison to compare a developing country such as Pakistan with the Uk. With increasing cost of living crisis it’s not much. The salary isn’t great for allied health professionals in the uk in comparison to Australia.

8. What specific challenges do you face working abroad as a SLP? 

   There are Different procedures in different settings. Prior to my move to the Uk I was a generalised therapist. But here everything is guided by specific specialised pathways. Early years, neurodevelopment , stuttering. I had inclination towards peads hence continued to work with early years age group. In the beginning I kept using American words like pacifier, private practice, report. In the uk they use dummy, independent practice, care plans etc this was a bit tricky. Uk they prefer to use their own normed tests. Like for CAS they use Nuffield. For speech they use CLEAR test. They have their own language programs e.g talk boast etc.

9.  What are your favorite things about working abroad as a SLP?

   I like challenging myself so so this had been an interesting experience.

10. What are the most significant differences between practicing as a SLP in your home country versus abroad?

    I will just say “when you are a part of the system you start seeing the cracks”. No place is ideal.

11. How does your experience working abroad influence your perspectives on diversity and cultural sensitivity in speech-language pathology?

    The first time I transcribed “fank you” “brofer” I wasn’t sure if this is an error or a dialect. Families are more sensitive to advise around weaning off the dummy (pacifier).

12. What advice would you give to other SLPs who are considering working abroad for the first time?

    Move!! because you aren’t a tree to remain in one place. Take a chance but do not let employers exploit you. Being on the work visa comes with challenges. Inform them that you would like clear information on holidays etc join the Facebook fraternity ask for support if you need.

13. If applicable, how do you handle homesickness or any potential challenges related to being far away from family and friends?

    Indeed it’s hard to make friends as an adult but there are kind people out there. So go out explore ! UK weather gets gloomy with rain so keep a check on your vitamin D levels.

14.  Which other cities/countries have you worked in as an SLP? Tell us about those experiences (for those that have worked in multiple locations). 

    I have worked in Northampton, London and now in Lincoln. Rent is cheaper in Northern England so hence I moved otherwise London is cool.

15. Any other information, stories, and experiences that you would like to share?

    My London employer was not so great. They offered holidays only during school term break 5 days only. Which didn’t suit me as it’s a long haul flight to Pakistan I can’t go and return in a weeks time. My Malaysian colleague couldn’t go meet her family on Chinese New Year for the same reason. Switching a job on a work visa is not easy and always has challenges.

Thank you, Rabab for sharing a bit of your journey with us! Wish you the best of luck in the UK.