European Nationals Nationals of the European Economic Area or Switzerland are permitted to live and work in the UK without prior requirement of entry clearance. EEA or Swiss Nationals are also permitted to bring family members or dependents to accompany them during their stay in the UK. Dependents benefit from the same rights as the primary EEA or Swiss National, the main one being the freedom to accept any form of employment in the UK or to even be self employed.

Employment Opportunities

EEA or Swiss Nationals and their family members or dependents benefit from the following employment opportunities while living in the UK:

  • Accept work offers from any UK company
  • Can be self-employed
  • Set up a business
  • Set up a local branch of a company
  • Manage a company

European citizens do not need to apply for a work permit to seek employment in the UK and employers are not permitted to discriminate against them due to their nationality or citizenship in terms of conditions of employment, working conditions or pay.

Non EEA or Swiss Nationals

Applicants from Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia or Slovenia are now not needed to register under the Worker Registration Scheme in order to be eligible for being employed in the UK. However A2 Nationals i.e. Romania and Bulgaria must seek permission from the Home Office before obtaining employment in the UK.

A2 Nationals Applying to Work in the UK

The UK Border Agency does not provide any written confirmation that we have received your application for an accession worker card or registration certificate in the UK.

Accession worker card

This contains 3 stages of applying for an accession worker card in the UK:

1. The UK based employer should apply for a work permit, unless your job is listed in the category that does not require a work permit. A request needs to be made by the employer on WP1 Application form and is required to provide documents according to the job category you are to be employed under.

2. Once the application for the work permit has been approved by the UK Border Agency they will send a letter of approval to you. Upon receipt of the approval letter from the UK Border Agency you must apply for an accession worker card using application form BR3. With your application you will be required to provide the supporting documents and a copy of the letter of approval from the UKBA.

3. If an application has been made by your employer for a work permit and the letter of approval is pending from the UKBA, you may also apply for an accession worker card using the application form BR3.

You may also be permitted to make such application from outside the UK if you have been offered a job before your arrival to the UK.

Authorised family members

In order to make an application for an accession worker card as a family member of an A2 national, you should use the application form BR4. You can contact a representative of Asher Tomar Solicitor Visas for further advise.

Registration certificate

You are permitted to apply for a registration certificate if you are in the UK as a self-employed person, a student or a self-sufficient person, however this is not a compulsory requirement to stay in the UK and other routes such as work permit authorization is available as well. You can apply for a registration certificate as a worker or jobseeker if you are exempt from worker authorisation.

In order to apply for a registration certificate, you shall use application form BR1. You can contact a representative of Asher Tomar Solicitor Visas for further advise.

Highly skilled people for A2 Nationals

As a highly skilled person you should use application form BR2. When you are applying as a highly skilled person, you must score a minimum of 75 points in the following sections Age, Qualifications, Previous Earnings, UK Experience. If you do not score 75 points or more then your application will be refused. Please contact a representative of Asher Tomar Solicitor Visas for further advise.

Residence card

If you hold a registration certificate and have family members who are non EEA nationals, they can be permitted to apply for a residence card using application form BR5. Please contact a representative of Asher Tomar Solicitor Visas for further advise.

Family member residence stamp

If you hold an accession worker card and have family members who are non EEA nationals, they are permitted to apply for a family member residence stamp using application form BR6. Please contact a representative of Asher Tomar Solicitor Visas for further advise.
Bulgarian and Romanian family members of EEA nationals
Family member registration certificate
If you are a Romanian or Bulgarian family member of someone who holds an accession worker card, you can make an application for the family member registration certificate using application form BR1.

Registration certificate

If you are the Bulgarian or Romanian family member of an EEA national who is not A2 national, you will be permitted to make an application using application form EEA1. Please contact a representative of Asher Tomar Solicitor Visas for further advise.