Naturalisation - Impact on application because of much lower salary after ILR

[engineer86]

Hi all,
I'm wondering if anyone could help me here.

I applied for naturalisation last month. My application for ILR was approved in May 2019 after 5 years on a tier 2 visa. During my 5 year qualifying period, I changed employers only once. After receiving my ILR, I resigned from my job in August of 2019 primarily because I was fed up of work-related stress and also because I was finding it difficult to work with my manager there, not withstanding that a month before my resignation, I was given a pay rise. Moreover I was also looking for a change in career direction and needed a break. I was financially stable and did not bother looking for another job for the next 3 months; I simply did not want to end up working in a similar job role after spending 5 - mostly unhappy years - in a similar role. I later worked in an odd job for a week or so, before taking up another low skill full-time contract job whilst I was enrolled in a distance learning university course, which I had hoped would help me change my career path. I was earning a lot less in this job as compared to either of my tier 2 employments. My question is, could my choice of working in an unskilled/low skill job, after ILR approval have any bearing on my naturalisation application? Could they still ask me to justify my decision? My understanding is that people are free to work in job role after ILR. At least that's what the approval letter said.

I have had a perfect previous record since day 1. I graduated with a first class degree, then worked at one of Europe's biggest startups which raised over $2 Billion in its IPO last year. Later I worked at another well-established company which I only left after ILR approval, owing to reasons I have stated above.

I would greatly appreciate feedback on this from experts on this forum.

Thanks.

[engineer86]

Hi all,
I'm wondering if anyone could help me here.

I applied for naturalisation last month. My application for ILR was approved in May 2019 after 5 years on a tier 2 visa. During my 5 year qualifying period, I changed employers only once. After receiving my ILR, I resigned from my job in August of 2019 primarily because I was fed up of work-related stress and also because I was finding it difficult to work with my manager there, not withstanding that a month before my resignation, I was given a pay rise. Moreover I was also looking for a change in career direction and needed a break. I was financially stable and did not bother looking for another job for the next 3 months; I simply did not want to end up working in a similar job role after spending 5 - mostly unhappy years - in a similar role. I later worked in an odd job for a week or so, before taking up another low skill full-time contract job whilst I was enrolled in a distance learning university course, which I had hoped would help me change my career path. I was earning a lot less in this job as compared to either of my tier 2 employments. My question is, could my choice of working in an unskilled/low skill job, after ILR approval have any bearing on my naturalisation application? Could they still ask me to justify my decision? My understanding is that people are free to work in job role after ILR. At least that's what the approval letter said.

I have had a perfect previous record since day 1. I graduated with a first class degree, then worked at one of Europe's biggest startups which raised over $2 Billion in its IPO last year. Later I worked at another well-established company which I only left after ILR approval, owing to reasons I have stated above.

I would greatly appreciate feedback on this from experts on this forum.

Thanks.

It is worth mentioning that I was working in a professional job on my post-study work visa back in 2013 - more than an year before I even applied for my first tier 2 leave to remain.

[CR001]

Your salary or employment is irrelevant to your citizenship application. You do not even have to be employed if your choose not to be.

[engineer86]

Your salary or employment is irrelevant to your citizenship application. You do not even have to be employed if your choose not to be.

Thank you. That is very reassuring.