When should I start applying for employment?

[rmaprath]

Hello All,

Please excuse me if this question has been answered before, I did some searching on this forum as well as elsewhere but I couldn't find an exact answer.

I'm a PhD student in my second year of study and I have to complete 3 years of minimum study at my University. From there, I have another 1 year for my thesis write-up. Currently I'm under a Tier-4 student visa.

My question is, when can I start applying for employment in UK? According to some sources I have to submit my thesis before I can apply for a job and convert my Visa to Tier-2 category. This is bit worrying because I might not have enough time left on my Tier-4 visa at the time I submit my final Thesis.

On the other hand, if I find an employer too soon, I might not be able to start working because of the same restriction.

Although I have a lot of time to plan my future, this question has thrown me off-balance. I would really appreciate if someone can shed some light on this situation.

Thank you very much!