Immigrant workers

Immigrant workers wishing to enter the UK for the purposes of taking up employment may be given leave to enter. Some foreign nationals can come to the UK for work without any immigration problems. Others have to pass strict immigration tests before the UK Border Agency (part of the Home Office) gives them permission to enter the UK to work.

Immigrant workers from the European Union are ‘qualified persons’ under European Immigration Regulations. So are workers who are nationals from the countries party to the European Economic Agreement (EEA) (currently Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). Under European Immigration Regulations, qualified persons are allowed to remain in the UK so long as they remain qualified persons. This means that as long as immigrant workers from the EU continue to work, they can stay in the UK indefinitely.

Also note that to be a qualified person, you do not necessarily have to be working. For a limited amount of time, those who have come from the EU or from a country party to the EEA can be deemed to be a qualifying person even if they have come to look for work in the UK. However, they can only maintain this status for a limited amount of time.

Immigrant workers from countries outside the European Union will usually have to seek leave to enter the UK under the points-based system. If employers want to employ immigrant workers they will have to sponsor the workers to come to the UK.

If you would like to obtain legal advice and information on immigration laws relating to overseas workers, Contact Law can put you in touch with a local specialist immigration solicitor free of charge. So, if you have any questions or would like our help in finding local immigration solicitors please call us on 0800 1777 162 or complete the web-form above.