Work Permits

Work Permits (UK), which is part of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office, administers the Work Permit Scheme. The service permits employers based in Great Britain to employ people who are not nationals of a European Economic Area country and not entitled to work in the United Kingdom.

The aim of Work Permits (UK) is to strike the right balance between enabling employers to recruit or transfer skilled people from abroad whilst at the same time protecting job opportunities for residents.

There are three main categories under which work permit applications may be made:

• Business and Commercial.
• Sports people and Entertainers.
• Training and work experience scheme (TWES).

Work Permits (UK) also gives permission for multi national employers to provide internship placements to overseas students.

Those students who are studying at a United Kingdom educational institute and who wish to undertake casual work in their spare time or vacation or a work placement which is part of their course do not need a work permit but need to be aware of the restrictions on the type of work they may do.

Work permits are issued to enable a person to do a specific job with a specific company. A work permit is not a licence for the individual to work for any company that he or she chooses. Changes of employment require permission from Work Permits (UK).