Working in the UK
If you want to work in the UK, this guide will help you understand what you need.
🧑🤝🧑 Are You from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein?
If you or your family started living in the UK before 31 December 2020, you might be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (it’s free).
🕒 The deadline was 30 June 2021, but you can still apply if:
- You have a later deadline (for example, you joined family in the UK)
- You had a good reason for not applying earlier (like being very sick 🤒 or facing domestic abuse)
🌐 Apply online at: Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status)
🍀 Irish Citizens
If you’re from Ireland, you do NOT need a visa, and you don’t need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. You can live and work in the UK freely.
🛂 Do You Need a Visa to Work?
If you’re not in the groups above, you will need a visa to work in the UK. There are different visas for different jobs:
🧑⚕️ Long-Term Work Visas
These are for people who want to stay and work for a long time:
- Skilled Worker visa
- Health and Care Worker visa
- Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker visa
- Scale-up Worker visa
- Minister of Religion visa
- International Sportsperson visa
🧑🎨 Short-Term Work Visas
These are for short jobs or training:
- Charity Worker visa
- Creative Worker visa (for actors, dancers, musicians, etc.)
- Government Authorised Exchange visa
- International Agreement visa
- Religious Worker visa
- Seasonal Worker visa (e.g. farm work 🌾)
- Youth Mobility Scheme visa (for young people – see below)
- Graduate visa
- High Potential Individual visa (HPI)
- Graduate Trainee visa
- UK Expansion Worker visa
- Secondment Worker visa
- Service Supplier visa
🌎 Youth Mobility Scheme (for young people 18–30)
This is a special visa for young people from countries like Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and India (India Young Professionals Scheme). You can work and live in the UK for up to 2 years.
💡 Business, Talent & Investment Visas
These are for people who want to start a business or have special skills:
- Global Talent visa
- Innovator Founder visa
- Entrepreneur and Investor visas are now closed ❌ (only old visa holders can stay)
🌍 Other Visas
- UK Ancestry visa
- Frontier Worker permit
- Overseas Domestic Worker visa
- Turkish Businessperson/Worker visa (for people who applied before end of 2020)
- British National (Overseas) visa
- Service Providers from Switzerland visa
🔎 Need Help with Visas?
Only speak to someone who is legally trained (like a lawyer or adviser registered with OISC). You can also get free help from:
✅ Citizens Advice – citizensadvice.org.uk
✅ Job search websites like Reed or Indeed (but they don’t give immigration advice)
🧾 National Insurance Number (NI Number)
To work in the UK, you need a National Insurance number (NI number).
👉 You can apply only after arriving in the UK
👉 You must have the right to work or study
📞 Call: 0800 141 2075
🌐 Or apply online at: Apply for a National Insurance number
📝 What Happens When You Apply?
Jobcentre Plus may:
- Send you a letter or email 📩
- Ask you to come for a short interview 📅
- Ask for your ID and some questions 💬
📄 What Documents Do You Need?
Bring documents that prove who you are:
- 🛂 Passport or ID card
- 💻 Your visa (eVisa or old BRP)
- 🍼 Birth or adoption certificate
- 💍 Marriage or civil partnership certificate
- 🚗 Driving licence
👷 Can I Work Before I Get My NI Number?
Yes! You can start working before your NI number arrives just:
- Prove your right to work (with your visa)
- Tell your boss you’ve applied for the NI number
- Give them the number when you get it
🔐 BRP is Ending – Use eVisa Now
- 📅 From 31 December 2024, the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) will not be used anymore.
- 🧑💻 Everyone must use a digital visa called an eVisa.
- 👉 If you had a BRP before, you need to create a UKVI online account
- 👉 You can view and share your visa online: View your eVisa and get a share code
- Was printed on your BRP before, you don’t need to apply again
🎯 Summary
✅ If you’re from the EU (and arrived before 2021) – check if you can apply for the Settlement Scheme
✅ If you’re from Ireland – no visa needed
✅ All other workers need a visa – different types for different jobs
✅ You need a National Insurance number to work
✅ You must use digital eVisa from 2025 – no more BRP
