What a frontier worker is
A frontier worker is a person who lives outside the UK, for example in Ireland or France, and works in the UK, crossing the border to do so. After Brexit, EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein citizens who were already working in the UK this way by the end of 2020 were allowed to keep doing so with a Frontier Worker permit. The permit proves your right to enter and work here and to access the benefits and services you are entitled to.
Who can apply
- You are a citizen of an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
- You live primarily outside the UK.
- You began working in the UK while living elsewhere by 31 December 2020, as an employed or self-employed person.
- You do eligible work, which must be “genuine and effective”, and have usually worked in the UK at least once every 12 months since you started.
If you did not work in the UK by 31 December 2020, you cannot use this route and need a visa, such as the Skilled Worker visa. Irish citizens do not need a permit, but may apply for one. British citizens, including dual citizens, cannot apply.
Living outside the UK
You must live “primarily” outside the UK. You qualify if you have spent less than 180 days in total in the UK in any 12-month period. If you have spent 180 days or more, you still qualify if in that period you returned to the country you live in at least once every six months, or twice in the 12 months, or where exceptional circumstances such as illness or an accident stopped you travelling.
Gaps in work: retained status
You may still be eligible if you did not work in a 12-month period because you were:
- temporarily unable to work because of illness, accident, pregnancy or childbirth;
- voluntarily unemployed and doing vocational training related to your last occupation; or
- involuntarily unemployed, and looking for work in the UK or doing vocational training.
This is known as retained worker or retained self-employed status. If you became involuntarily unemployed you keep your status for six months if you worked for less than a year, and for as long as you continue to look for work if you worked for a year or more. You must be registered as a jobseeker and be able to show you are looking for work.
Cost and application
There is no fee for the permit and no immigration health surcharge. You apply online, usually proving your identity with the UK Immigration: ID Check app. If you cannot use the app you attend an appointment, which may carry a charge. You will be asked for evidence of your work: an employment contract or contracts to work in the UK and payslips, or invoices if you are self-employed. If you have retained status you will be asked for evidence of that, such as a doctor’s letter or recent job applications.
How long the permit lasts
The permit lasts five years, or two years if you apply with retained status. A digital version can be used to prove your right to work and to rent. You can change jobs, or move between employment and self-employment, without telling the Home Office, but you must tell it if you stop working in the UK and do not meet one of the retained-status criteria. When you renew, you show that you have continued to meet the requirements since your last application.
Family and settlement
Your family members are not covered by your permit, though they may be eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. The permit is not a route to settlement, but if you also live in the UK you may qualify under that scheme.
If you are refused
Decisions on frontier worker permits carry a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. See immigration appeals.
How we help
We assess your eligibility, assemble the evidence of your work history and travel, apply for the permit and act if it is refused. A consultation costs from £99.
