The short answer to the question posed in this title is yes. Being a practising electrician involves working in a potentially hazardous environment with live electrical wiring systems and appliances, so a variety of technical and safety skills and knowledge is required to ensure the safety of yourself and your customers. You also need to be familiar with relevant UK regulations and standards.
But what is your status if you are already a practising or qualified electrician coming from a country outside of the UK?
The specific qualifications you will need can depend on the country you are coming from, and the sector you plan to work in. For instance, to work unsupervised on a UK construction site as an electrician, you will need a full ECS Gold Card.
JIB-Approved Licence Countries
If you have already qualified as an electrician in a Joint Industry Board (JIB)-approved licence country, a country in which there is mutual recognition of electrical qualifications in the UK, then you may be able to come to the UK and work in the construction, commercial, and industrial sectors without obtaining further qualifications.
In 2023, those countries are:
- Australia
- Canada
- New Zealand
- South Africa
- USA
- Republic of Ireland
Non-JIB-Approved Licence Countries
If you did not receive your electrical qualifications in one of the JIB-approved countries, you will need your overseas qualifications recognised and approved by the JIB. The JIB is responsible for establishing the standards and best practices for electricians in the UK, and for laying down the requirements for non-UK qualified electricians.
This Is A Two-Step Process:
- First, you will need to contact ECCTIS (formerly the UK National Recognition Information Centre (NARIC)) and submit all of your non-UK qualifications in detail for assessment and verification, to receive a Letter of Comparability and a Certificate of Comparability, which you can then use to present to employers, customers etc as validation of your qualifications.
- Once you’ve received your documents, you should then send your Certificate of Comparability to the JIB, with a covering letter explaining your experience in the sector you wish to work within the UK. If they are satisfied with this, the JIB will issue you with a JIB Grade as an Approved Electrician, allowing you to work as an electrician in the UK.
In many cases, the applicant’s existing qualifications will be recognised. The JIB might, however, require you to undertake further courses before you are fully approved. These can include:
- 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations (BS 7671)
- City & Guilds Level III Certificate in Inspection, Testing & Certification of Electrical Installations
- NVQ Level III in Electrotechnical Services
- Achievement Measurement 2 (AM2)
Electrotechnical Worker Assessment (EWA)
To demonstrate that you have the right qualifications to meet the requirements to work as an electrician in the UK, taking an Electrotechnical Worker Assessment (EWA) – an assessment route designed to help experienced electricians demonstrate that they meet the requirements to work in the UK, may help support your case. The EWA is for experienced workers and is not a shortcut to qualified electrician status, and you must have at least five years of proven experience as a practising electrician, as well as working knowledge of UK wiring regulations and industry standards, which can be verified through an AM2E assessment.
Approved Electrician Qualifications From PTT
If you are coming to the UK from overseas and do not have previous electrical qualifications or experience from your country of origin, you can train to become a fully qualified electrician with PTT. Our training route includes all the qualifications and courses you need to work as an electrical installer in any UK commercial or domestic setting, and we provide a range of flexible training options to fit your lifestyle and work commitments. Please click here to find out more, or contact us for course details.
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