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.