Working in the UK: rules for students/working holidaymakers in Britain/England/London


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< Up	Work / Rules
Laws about working in the UK


Sections	Introduction
	Students
	Non-students
	Working holiday visas
	Work in Britain programme
	Links

INTRODUCTION

Before starting to look for a job in the UK, make sure that you are allowed to work and, if so, check if there is a maximum number of hours per week.
You can find out details of the rules for working legally in the UK from the official website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk.

Don't try to work illegally. If you are caught you will probably be sent back to your home country (deported) and may find it difficult to travel abroad in future. You may also find that your employer tries to exploit you by paying you less than the minimum wage or by making you work in poor or dangerous conditions.

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STUDENTS

EEA (except Romania/Bulgaria)
In general, students who are nationals of EEA (European Economic Area) countries are allowed to work full-time in the UK. This does not apply to students from Romania and Bulgaria, which joined the EU in January 2007.

Non-EEA or Romania/Bulgaria
Students from non-EEA countries or from Romania/Bulgaria with a valid student visa (to understand your visa stamp, see: Prepare/Visa) may take part-time work during term time, but cannot work for more than 20 hours per week (unless the work is a necessary part of the studies, as agreed by your school) except during school holidays.
UKCISA produce guidance notes for international students on "Working in the UK during your studies" and "Working in the UK after your studies": http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php.

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NON-STUDENTS

EEA (except EC Accession States)
In general, EEA nationals are allowed to work full-time in the UK. This does not apply to students from Romania and Bulgaria, which join the EU in January 2007.

EC Accession States
From 1 May 2004, nationals of some of the new member states of the EU need to register if they plan to work for more than one month for an employer in the UK.
This is known as the Accession State Worker Registration Scheme.
For further details and to download the required form, see:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/wrs
People from these new EU member countries need to register:
- the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
People from these new EU member countries do not need to register:
- Cyprus, Malta
Nationals of the countries joining the EU in January 2007 (Bulgaria and Romania) will need working permission

Non-EEA
Except for certain special professions in which there is a shortage of workers, employers have to follow strict rules before they can employ non-EEA nationals. Before the employer can apply for a work permit for a non-EEA national, the job must be advertised and the employer must justify why the EEA nationals who applied were not suitable. Information about work permits is shown at: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/workpermits.

There are special rules for the types of job below. Follow the links on other pages on this website for further information:
- Au pair: Work/Job/AuPair.
- Nurse: Work/Job/Nurse.
- Teacher or language teacher's assistant: Work/Job/Teacher.
- Voluntary work: Work/Job/Volunteer.

There are also special rules for people with a working holiday visa: see below

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WORKING HOLIDAYS

- What is a working holiday visa?

A working holiday visa allows a young person to come to the UK mainly for a long holiday, but also to work for part of this time (usually up to half of the time) to earn money for the holiday. You must obtain this visa from a British embassy or High Commission before you come to the UK. The application process and rules depend on where you live, because they depend on agreements between your country's government and the UK government. In some cases the process can take quite a long time (perhaps 6 months), and a small fee may need to be paid. Even if you have a visa, you could be refused entry into the UK by immigration officers if they believe you are intending to break the working holiday rules. You can study for some of the time, but the main reason for the trip must be holiday, not study or work. For full details of the current rules, see: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/workingholidaymakers

- Which countries have working holiday agreements with the UK?

You can only apply for a working holiday if your country has a working holiday agreement with the UK. In 2006 these countries were:
(1) Most Commonwealth countries
(2) Japan: Since 2001, 400 people from Japan are issued working holiday visas each year (between April and March). You should be aged between 18 and 25 at the time of applying, although in some cases it may be possible for the limit to be increased to 30.

Note that if you are a national of an EEA (European Economic Area) country or Switzerland, you do not need a working holiday visa to come to the UK to travel and work.

- Where can I find the application forms and further details?

Information on British visa requirements for people wanting to take a working holiday is on the UK Border Agency site: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk. Choose Application forms from the top menu, scroll down the page to the Guidance Notes section and then click on Working Holidaymakers (INF 15).

Below are some of the organisations which help to arrange working holidays from the following Commonwealth countries:

Country	Name	Website link
Canada	SWAP	http://www.swap.ca
Australia	IEP Australia	http://www.iep.org.au
New Zealand	IEP New Zealand	http://www.iep.co.nz
South Africa	SASTS	http://www.sasts.org.za

WORK IN BRITAIN PROGRAMME

There is a special programme for US citizens called "Work in Britain". It allows college students to work for up to 6 months in the UK. For details, see the BUNAC website: http://www.bunac.org/usa/workinbritain. A special type of visa known as a "blue card" needs to be obtained before travelling to the UK.

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LINKS

Finding a job: Work/Search
Obtaining a visa: Prepare/Visa

Home page: Home

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© UK Student Life 2002-2007

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