Coventry

Immigration Issues Working in the UK

Unless a person is a British citizen, has Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR, settlement) or has the right of abode in the UK, he / she will need permission from the Border and Immigration Agency (formerly the Immigration and Nationality Directorate) to work for an employer in the UK. Whether or not people from the European Union (EU) require permission to work depends upon their nationality.

Applications to work can be made in different categories, each with its own rules and regulations, advantages and disadvantages. These include Work Permits, the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP) and categories specifically designed for different professions, such as doctors and dentists. If you are interested in working for yourself or setting up a business in the UK, see our information on Business and investing. RBM Solicitors also deals with business visitor applications, where people wish to come to the UK for a short visit for business purposes.

Permission to come to the UK to work will initially be granted for a limited period. In some categories it is not possible to extend this. In others, you can apply to extend your stay and in some cases, when you have been in the UK for long enough, you can apply for settlement (ILR - Indefinite Leave to Remain).

Different categories have different rules about when you can apply to switch to another immigration category, whether it be another type of work or something altogether different, such as studying.