If you are not a British citizen or a European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss national, you may need to apply for a visa to be get right to work in UK. If you are unsure, you can check the UK Visas & Immigration “Do you need a visa?” tool.
The following immigration categories give a person the right to work in UK. 
♠ British, EEA and Swiss Nationals
You have a right to work in UK if you are:
♦ a British citizen or EEA or Swiss national. EEA and Swiss national’s right of work is however subject to EEA Regulations; or
♦ a family member of a British citizen, EEA or Swiss national. You will normally be entitled to make a visa or EEA Family Permit application to join them in the UK and to work so long as you meet the applicable legal requirements.
♠ Croatian Nationals
You may need to apply for a registration certificate to be allowed to work in the UK. The type of registration certificate you may need will depend on:
♦ whether you need permission to work in the UK
♦ what you’ll be doing
Please contact us for advice on your ability to work in the UK.
♠ Turkish Nationals
If you are a Turkish national you may be eligible to apply for an European Community Association Agreement (ECAA) visa which would allow you to work in the UK. You may qualify for:
♦ Turkish Worker visa
♦ Turkish Businessperson visa
Please contact us for advice on your ability to work or set up a business in the UK.
♠ UK Ancestry
If you are a Commonwealth citizen, and have a grandparent born in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a UK Ancestry visa which would entitle you to come and work in the UK, and settle here permanently.
♠ Non EEA Nationals
If you are a non EEA national you will require permission under one of the following tiers of the Points Based System to get the right to work in the UK:
♦ Tier 1 (Investor) Visa is for high value migrants who are able to invest £2 Million or more in the UK.
♦ Tier 1 (Exceptional talent) is for people who are recognised or have the potential to be recognised as world leaders in science and arts.
♦ Tier 1 (Graduate entrepreneur) for graduates endorsed by UK Higher Education Institutions as having developed world class innovative ideas or entrepreneurial skills, to extend their stay in the UK after graduation to establish or develop their businesses here. They are also permitted to undertake other work for up to 20 hours a week to support themselves.
♦ Tier 2 (General) is for skilled workers who have a job offer to fill a gap in the resident workforce that cannot be filled by a settled worker.
♦ Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer (ICT) is for those applicants who are being transferred to their organisations’ UK offices from overseas. Those who want to impart their skills to their British colleagues and those want to join their employer’s UK offices as graduate trainee may also use this route.
♦ Overseas business representatives Visa enables you to come to the UK as:
♦ the sole representative of an overseas company wishing to set up a UK branch or a wholly owned subsidiary for an overseas parent company;
♦ a media employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation being posted on a long-term assignment to the UK.
♦ Domestic Worker Visa enables you to come to the UK with your employer if you:
♦ are a domestic worker in a private household
♦ have worked for your employer for at least 1 year
♦ are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
♦ meet the other eligibility requirements
♦ Tier 4 (Students) have limited or no right to work as follows:
If you are following a course at NQF 6 or QCF 6 or SCQF 9 or above with a sponsor which is a Recognised Body or a UK Higher Education Institution, or you are undertaking a short-term study abroad degree programme at an overseas Recognised Body or HEI the following work is allowed:
♦ part-time during term-time, which is no more than 20 hours a week;
♦ full-time during vacations;
♦ on a work placement as part of the course, providing the work placement does not amount to more than 50% of the course;
♦ as a postgraduate doctor on a recognised Foundation Programme, providing you are being sponsored by the UK Foundation Programme Office;
♦ as a postgraduate dentist on a recognised Foundation Programme, providing you are being sponsored by the Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Health Authority or the South London Local Education and Training Board (also known as South London Health Education England);
♦ as a student union sabbatical officer for up to two years.
If you are following a course at NQF 3/4/5 or QCF 3/4/5 or SCQF 6/7/8, with a sponsor which is a UK HEI, the following work is allowed:
♦ part-time during term-time, which is no more than 10 hours a week;
♦ full-time during vacations;
♦ on a work placement as part of the course, providing the work placement does not amount to more than 33% of the course;
♦ as a student union sabbatical officer for up to two years.
If you are following a course at any level with a sponsor which is a publicly funded further education college, the following work is allowed:
♦ part-time during term-time, which is no more than 10 hours a week;
♦ full-time during vacations;
♦ on a work placement as part of a course, providing the work placement does not amount to more than 33% of the course;
♦ as a student union sabbatical officer for up to two years.
If you are following a course at any level with a Tier 4 sponsor which is not a UK HEI, a short-term study abroad degree programme at an overseas HEI or a publicly funded further education college, you are not allowed to work whilst in the UK.
♦ Tier 5 is for people who want to come to the UK to undertake temporary work for a licensed Tier 5 sponsor. There are a number of sub categories, the most popular of which are:
♦ Tier 5 (Government authorised exchange) allowing sponsored researchers and visiting academics to give lectures, act as an examiner or work on a supernumerary research collaboration to come to the UK for up to a maximum of 24 months.
♦ Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) allowing young people from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand Monaco and Taiwan to come and work in the UK for up to a maximum of 24 months.
♦ Spouses, civil partners, family members and dependents
If you are a dependent of an EEA, a non EEA national who has permission to work in the UK or if you are a dependent family member of a British citizen or someone settled in the UK you may be able to apply for a visa or immigration document that will allow you to work where this is permitted under the applicable immigration rules or EEA regulations.
Please note that the information provided on our website is for general information only and the conditions and criteria are subject to change. You should therefore contact us for advice on the most current regulations.