United Kingdom Immigration

• an EEA national
• a Swiss national
• a family member of an EEA or Swiss national who is in the UK exercising their treaty rights or a family member of an EEA or Swiss national who intends to join them in the UK, or is travelling with them to the UK
• a citizen of Gibraltar
• a Commonwealth citizen with permission to stay in the UK on the basis of UK Ancestry
• a seaman under contract to join a ship due to leave British waters
• a person employed as a civilian in NATO Forces
• a person given permission to stay as the dependant of a person settled in the UK
• a dependant under another category (in some cases), or
• a student (in some cases).

There are six types of work permit.

• Business and commercial.
  These allow UK employers to recruit people from outside the EEA who will fill a vacancy that the employer has not been able to fill with a resident worker.
• Sportspeople and entertainers
  These allow UK employers to employ established sportspeople, entertainers, cultural artists and some technical and support people from outside the EEA.
• GATS (Global Agreement on Trade in Services)
  This allows employees of companies that are based outside the European Union to work in the UK on a service contract awarded to their employer by a UK-based organisation.
• Sectors Based Scheme (SBS)
  From 1 January 2007, this scheme only allows workers from Romania and Bulgaria to enter the UK for up to 12 months to take low-skilled work in the food manufacturing industry. More details on this scheme are available from Work Permits (UK). (Contact details are under ‘More advice and information’ at the end of this guidance).
• Training and Work Experience Scheme (TWES)
  This scheme allows people from outside the EEA to carry out work-based training for a professional or specialist qualification, or a short period of work experience as an extra member of staff. To qualify for TWES, you must:
  • hold a valid TWES work permit and be able to carry out the training or work experience it applies to
  • intend to leave the UK after the training or work experience
  • be aged over 16
  • not intend to take employment except as set out on the permit, and
  • be able to support yourself and your dependants, without needing any help from public funds.

If you have been in the UK on a TWES permit for more than 12 months, you will not normally be eligible for another TWES permit until you have spent 24 months outside the UK. If you have been in the UK on a TWES permit for less than 12 months, you will not normally be eligible for another TWES permit until you have spent 12 months outside the UK.

Multiple-entry work permits (MEWPs)

• The MEWP is designed for employees travelling regularly for short periods of work permit employment with the same employer in the UK (other than Northern Ireland). It is not valid for the Training and Work Experience Scheme (TWES).
• The MEWP is valid for between six months and two years for individual work permit holders. For sportspeople and groups of entertainers the maximum period is 12 months.
• MEWP holders do not qualify for indefinite leave to remain in the UK (in other words they cannot apply for permission to stay in the UK with no time limit).
• MEWP holders must support themselves and live without taking other employment or needing any help from public funds.
• They cannot bring their husband, wife, civil partner or dependent children with them to the UK.
• Letters of approval can be used in place of individual work permits when a large group of people (20 or more) are travelling together.

The employer should send the filled-in application form at least eight weeks before the date they need you to start work.