UK work permit information, requirements, procedures, finding employment, special exemptions, accompanying family, EU Association Agreements & more.

UK WORK PERMITS

Topics on this page:

Do you need a Work Permit?

Visiting the UK to seek Employment

UK Work Permit Applications

UK Work Permit Requirements

Special Category UK Work Permits

UK Work Permit Validity & Renewal

Applying through DJ Webb & Co.

Work Permit Assessment Service

Contacting our Work Permit Specialists

Accompanying Family

UK Training Permits & Work Experience

Young Commonwealth Citizens

EEA Association Agreement

Work for other Law Firms

Links & related topics:

Work Permit Advertising Requirements

Work Permit Special Categories

UK Training Permits & Work Experience

Young Commonwealth Citizens

EEA Association Agreement

UK Business Visas & Residence

UK Residence for Self Employed Persons and Entrepreneurs

UK Residence for Investors

DO YOU NEED A WORK PERMIT?

All foreign nationals require a Work Permit except

EEA/EU NATIONALS – Citizens of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

CITIZENS OF GIBRALTAR

YOUNG COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS – Commonwealth citizens up to 27 years old who qualify as working holidaymakers. See our Young Commonwealth Citizens page for more information.

EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT - Nationals of Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania or Slovakia who wish to set up any type of business or work as self-employed. See our EEA Association Agreement page for more information.

VISITING THE UK 
TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT

An offer of employment must exist before a work permit application can be made.

Individuals travelling to the UK to seek employment or to attend a job interview should take care when applying for a visa or entering the UK.

UK immigration rules state that a person visiting the UK for a short period must not intend to take employment or to produce goods or to provide services within the UK.

A distinction must be drawn between attending an interview and seeking employment, and ‘taking employment’. There is no problem applying for a visa or entering the UK to seek employment, so long as the person does not ‘intend to take employment’ whilst in the UK.

Care must be taken to convince officials upon application and upon entry that the person does not intend to take employment whilst in the UK and intends to return within 6 months without taking employment. 

UK WORK PERMIT APPLICATIONS

Work Permit applications normally take from four to eight weeks to process, depending on the type of permit and other factors.

It is the employer who applies for the work permit and not the employee. The work permit is granted to a particular employer and the employee cannot change employment in the UK without first applying for a fresh work permit.

The prospective employee should be outside the UK whilst the first application is being processed by the Overseas Labour Service.

The OLS will not issue a permit for an individual who Is already in the UK but will issue a recommendation instead to the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate that the person be granted leave to remain as a work permit holder.

The Immigration Directorate are under no obligation to follow this recommendation.

With the current backlog of work at the Home Office applying while the employee is in the UK will inevitable cause delay. It is often better for the employee to travel abroad and obtain the requisite entry clearance before travelling back to the UK to obtain "leave to enter" as a work permit holder.

UK WORK PERMIT 
REQUIREMENTS

The Immigration Rules delegate responsibility for the issue of work permits to the Department for Education and Employment. The rules do not specify what conditions have to be met but the Overseas Labour Service has its own guidelines.

Although there are many detailed requirements, the two most important conditions are that

the job in question must be of a certain skill-level (normally defined as managerial, professional or senior technical position), and

the employer has tried to fill the position from the local labour force before deciding to hire an overseas national. More information about Work Permit Advertising Requirements . 

SPECIAL CATEGORY 
UK WORK PERMITS

Special categories and requirements exist for:

• Intra-company transferees

• Board level or equivalent posts

• Posts involving new foreign investment in the UK

• Short supply occupations (currently some nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, veterinary surgeon, physiotherapists, pharmacists, and actuaries)

• Keyworkers

• Special criteria for Specific Occupations (hotel and catering staff, sport persons, footballers, entertainers, models)

More information about Work Permit Special Categories .

UK WORK PERMIT 
VALIDITY & RENEWAL

Work permits are often issued for an initial period of 12, 24 or 36 months after which the employer must apply for an extension if they wish for the individual to continue in the employment.

An extension application must state how long the person will be needed for and why. The employer may be required to explain why they have not recruited a resident worker to fill the position during the intervening period.

In an increasing number of cases our clients have been granted initial work permits for a 48-month period. Where an employee is recognised from the outset as being required in the long-term, this saves clients the inconvenience and effort of renewing permits

After four years an application for indefinite leave to remain can be made allowing the employee to remain in the UK without further renewals.

APPLYING THROUGH 
DJ WEBB & CO.

There is a real benefit to preparing and submitting Work Permit applications through DJ Webb.

The Overseas Labour Service guidelines controlling the issue of work permits are subject to interpretation and officials are allowed certain discretion in their consideration of applications.

Because we prepare and process a great many work permit applications and often make special representations on behalf of our clients, we can advise with confidence regarding what is likely to be acceptable to the OLS.

We provide clients with professional advice and decisive action based on up to the minute experience and practice. 

WORK PERMIT 
ASSESSMENT SERVICE

For a solicitor’s assessment of your proposed work permit application send a request for assessment information to workpermitinfo@webbimmigration.com.

We will send you an assessment service e-form to complete.

Complete and return it to us and we will provide you with a solicitor’s assessment of your work permit application together with our quotation for the preparation and lodging of the application.

There is no charge for this confidential service.

CONTACTING OUR 
WORK PERMIT SPECIALISTS

To contact our work permit specialists David Webb or Ben Sheldrick

E-mail workpermits@webbimmigration.com

Telephone +44 171 253 2400

Fax +44 171 253 2400

To receive an e-form for a free confidential work permit assessment send an e-mail request to workpermitinfo@webbimmigration.com.

ACCOMPANYING FAMILY

The spouse and dependent children under 18 are free to travel to the UK with the work permit holder. There are no restrictions on their taking employment or attending schools in the UK.

UK TRAINING PERMITS & 
WORK EXPERIENCE

Entry into the UK is possible for professional or occupational training and for the purpose of gaining work experience

See our UK Training Permits & Work Experience page for details.

YOUNG COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS

Commonwealth citizens between the ages of 17 and 27 may work temporarily in the UK under certain circumstances.

See our Young Commonwealth Citizens page for more Information.

EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT

Nationals of Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania or Slovakia who wish to set up any type of business in the UK or work as self-employed may enter the UK under special conditions.

See our EEA Association Agreement page for more Information.

WORK FOR OTHER LAW FIRMS

DJ Webb is one of the UK’s leading firms of specialist immigration solicitors.

In addition to working directly with clients in many countries, we are pleased to provide immigration services to law firms in the UK and abroad.

British and foreign law firms are invited to contact us to make arrangements for DJ Webb to process their immigration work.

Contact DJ Webb & Co.

OTHER PAGES ON THIS SITE ABOUT US   VISA & IMMIGRATION OVERVIEW ENTRY FORMALITIES    APPLYING FOR A VISA IMPORTANT ISSUES    RESIDENCE & CITIZENSHIP OVERVIEW TOURIST & SHORT-TERM VISAS    BUSINESS VISAS & RESIDENCE STUDY VISAS    WORK PERMITS    INVESTORS & ENTREPRENEURS RETIRE TO ENGLAND    FAMILY RELATED VISAS & RESIDENCE GAY IMMIGRATION    TRAINING & WORK EXPERIENCE ASYLUM    COPYRIGHT    ABOUT THIS SITE CONTACT US    SEARCH & NAVIGATION   IMPORTANT NOTE Material included in this site is provided for  informational purposes only and does not constitute  legal advice. Transmission of this information is not intended  to constitute a lawyer-client relationship between DJ Webb & Co.  and the user of the browser. No reader of this information  should act or refrain from acting on the basis of this  information without first taking professional  advice on the basis of the specific facts  and circumstances at issue.

Microsoft and the  Microsoft Internet Explorer  logo  are registered trademarks  or trademarks of  Microsoft  Corporation  in the United  States  and/or other  countries