Working rights in
the United Kingdom
For information only
Current British legislation only allows for nationals
of some countries outside the UK to legally take up employment.
We cannot put people forward for jobs if they do
not have a legal right to work.
In general terms, although there are exceptions,
employees must either be British passport holders, or have British
patriality, or be a citizen of, or have full working rights in any
member state of the European Union. There are also provision for
individuals with certain skills to be granted work visas
Some individuals from certain commonwealth countries
who may be able to work under a working holiday visa, although these
are subject to specific rules.
It is possible for employers to apply for a work
permit for a specific individual, but generally these are only available
in exceptional circumstances, where it can be demonstrated that the
individual has skills which are not available amongst the local workforce.
Employers in the UK will only rarely consider applications
from candidates who require them to apply for a work permit.
The law is becoming increasingly more stringent
and placing greater responsibilities (and penalties) on employers
and employment agencies with regard to ensuring candidates have legal
working status. Expect to be asked to prove your right to work and
provide some proof of ID, even if you are a native of the United
Kingdom.
Further information can be obtained via the following
links:-
For general information on rights to work an the
process of application try http://www.workpermit.com/uk/uk.htm this
is a private site but has a lot of clear information on the subject.