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This section provides details of most of the categories available to people who want to come to the United Kingdom to work. You should make sure you read the eligibility requirements in full before you applying as each category has different requirements.

If you want information about how you can employ migrant workers if you are a United Kingdom employer, see the sponsors section.

For highly skilled workers, investors and entrepreneurs Highly skilled workers, investors, entrepreneurs and foreign students who have graduated from a United Kingdom university can apply under our new points-based system. You do not need to have a specific job offer, but you will need to pass a points-based assessment to be eligible to apply.

Unlike sponsored skilled workers (who are covered by tier 2 of the points-based system), you do not need a job offer to apply under the highly skilled worker category. When you apply, you are awarded points based on your qualifications, previous earnings, United Kingdom experience, age, English language skills and available maintenance (money). You can apply under the highly skilled worker category now if you are:

already in the United Kingdom under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), you want to extend your permission to stay and you are eligible to switch into the highly skilled worker category; or
outside the United Kingdom and you are eligible to apply for permission to enter (known as 'entry clearance') under the highly skilled worker category.

For sponsored skilled workers If you have a job offer from a UK-based employer who is prepared to sponsor you, you can apply for permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom.

For sponsored skilled workers If you have a job offer from a UK-based employer who is prepared to sponsor you, you can apply for permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom. You can come to the UK under the Tier 2 criteria. These are:

Tier 2 Skilled Workers - you will require a UK employer to issue out a work permit. Once you have recieved the work permit document, you will need to ensure you meet the points under the category to be eligible.
Minister of Religion - The Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) category is for people who are coming to the United Kingdom as religious workers within religious organisations for more than two years. Your role in the Minister of Religion category can include preaching or performing pastoral duties; work as a missionary; or work in a religious order within a community which involves a permanent commitment, like a monastery or a convent.
Tier 2 Sponsored Sports person - The sportsperson category is for elite sports people and coaches who are internationally established at the highest level, and will make a significant contribution to the development of their sport.
The Intra-transfer route is for employees of multi-national companies who are being transferred by an overseas employer to a skilled job in a United Kingdom based branch of the organisation.

Working and Conditions - You can enter the United Kingdom up to 14 days before you start your job. The start date of your job is the one given by your sponsor in your certificate of sponsorship.

Conditions of your stay

Permission to stay in the United Kingdom is given only if you meet the following requirements:

you have no access to state benefits; and
you must register with the police if this is needed by paragraph 326 of the immigration rules: and
you do not start up or run a business; and
you do not work, except:
- with a certificate of sponsorship for a licensed sponsor; and
- in an extra job in the same sector and at the same level, as long as it does not go over 20 hours a week;
- doing voluntary work.

You must pay the correct fee with your application, and send the correct supporting evidence to support your application. If you make an application and it is unsuccessful because you do not meet the requirements, the Home Office will not refund your fee.

Extra jobs

You can do extra work to the job that you have a certificate of sponsorship for if:

it is in the same profession at the same professional level as the job that your certificate of sponsorship is for;
the work is no more than 20 hours a week;
the work is outside the working hours that the certificate of sponsorship is for.

You do not need to tell us about any extra jobs you take, and can do voluntary work in any sector.

You must not be paid or receive other money for the voluntary work, except reasonable expenses as in section 44 of the National Minimum Wage Act. See the OPSI website on the right of this page for more information about the National Minimum Wage Act.

Second jobs

You can apply to do a second job that is not the same profession as the job your certificate of sponsorship is for and is not an extra job as above, for example a job that is over 20 hours a week. But you must have a new certificate of sponsorship for this work from a sponsor.

You cannot apply for a second job until you have started working for your first sponsor (the one that gave you your certificate of sponsorship that allowed you to come to the United Kingdom). You will have to meet the points-based assessment for the category.

You will have to apply again and include a letter to say that you want to change your existing permission to stay. The letter must include:

your name;
your date of birth;
your certificate of sponsorship reference number (from the permission to stay you want to change);
confirmation of when your current permission to stay runs out.

Changing your job

If you have permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom under tier 2, you can apply to change your job either in the same organisation or in a new organisation. You must apply again and meet all the points requirements.

You will not have to resend evidence of your English language or maintenance (funds) if you have already proven this in your first application. If you not have already sent evidence, you must send it or your application will be refused.

Finishing a job

If your job ends before your permission to stay runs out, it is likely that we may limit your permission to stay to 60 days. You will need to apply again by making a new application. The Home Office will not limit your permission to stay if you have less than six months left.

For temporary workers If you want to come to the United Kingdom to undertake short-term, temporary work there are specific arrangements for you.

For workers from the European Economic Area and Switzerland If you are a national of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you are free to enter and stay in the United Kingdom. If you are a national of a state that recently joined the European Union, you may have to register with us or apply for our permission before you start to work.

All European Union citizens obtain the right of free movement rights, whether you’re looking to work or study that is made available to you. If you’d like information particularly from your country then look at the Home Office website, on www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk . It is a huge benefit to the United Kingdom because of the addition to Europe; it enables the country to benefit from further trade, the link to obtain increase talent with organisations.

Member states of the EU,

Information for EU/EEA Citizens:

If you have become eligible to come to the UK, through the EEA (European Economic Area)/ EU (European Union) then you will be able to bring in your family as well,

Your family is defined as:

Your spouse or civil partner;
Children or grandchildren of you, your spouse or your civil partner who are under 21 years of age or who are dependent upon you; and
The parents or grandparents of you, your spouse or your civil partner.

If you are a student, only your spouse, civil partner or dependent children are entitled to a right of residence here in the UK. For any other family members please log on to the Home Office site, or send us a request.

You and your family members can:

Accept offers of work;
Work (whether as an employee or in self-employment);
Set up a business;
Manage a company; or
Set up a local branch of a company.

You will not need to apply for a work permit. Your employer should not discriminate against you because of your nationality in terms of conditions of employment, pay or working conditions. If you are a national of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia or Slovenia you will need to register under the Worker Registration Scheme when you take work in the United Kingdom. You should read the Worker Registration Scheme on the Home Office site section for details.

If you are a national of Bulgaria or Romania you must not work until we have given you permission. You should read the section on the Home Office website for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals for details.

Information on regards to a Registration Certificate:

A registration certificate is a document issued to EEA nationals that confirms that person's right of residence under European law. You are not required to have a registration certificate to enter, live or work in the United Kingdom.

Residence cards are issued to non-EEA national family members (family members of EEA nationals who are not themselves EEA nationals). The card confirms that person's right of residence under European law.

Non-EEA national family members of nationals of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia or Slovenia are not eligible to apply for a residence card until the EEA national has completed 12 months of continuous employment in the United Kingdom. Non-EEA national family members can apply for a family member residence stamp to confirm their right of residence under European law.

For details of how to apply for a registration certificate, residence card or family member residence stamp, you should read the page on applying on the Home Office website.

Swiss Nationals/Companies, EEA/EU Companies:

If you are a Swiss national or a Swiss company that conducts business in the United Kingdom you may send employees to work for you in the United Kingdom for a maximum period of 90 days without having to apply for a work permit.

Your employees must have been working for you in Switzerland or an EEA member state for a reasonable period of time. If your employees are not EEA or Swiss nationals they will need to apply for posted workers authorisation. Visa Services is responsible for processing applications for posted workers authorisation.

You should contact your nearest British diplomatic post for details of how to apply, or even log on to the Home Office website for more information.

Permanent Residency:

If you are an EU/EEA citizen and you like to apply for permanent residency, the Home Office require you to be in the UK for a continuous period of 5 years.

Other Countries outside the EU/EEA:

For citizens outside the EEA/EU it is important to look in to the guidelines of an application, it is necessary that you meet the complete guidelines in which the application requires, and provide the documents asked.
Many individuals attempt to look at the wrong information, if you hold a particular nationality you are a citizen of that country, if you have lived in a EEA/EU country and are not a national then you cannot make an application as that countries citizen.

Other categories The categories within this section are domestic workers; sole representatives of overseas firms; and representatives of overseas newspapers, news agencies and broadcasting organisations.