1. Path to this page:Home
  2. >> Jobs and Training
  3. >> Help Getting a Job
  4. >> Working in the UK

Working in the UK

Working in the UK

Haringey Council is required by law to comply with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 and subsequent amendments. This requires sight of documentation from individuals proving their right to work and helps prevent us employing people who are not entitled to work legitimately in the UK.

Haringey Council is committed to the fair treatment of all it’s (prospective) employees and members of the public accessing our services regardless of age, ethnic origin, national origin or race, religious beliefs, gender, disability, HIV status, sexual orientation or unrelated criminal history. The council will act in line with it’s equal opportunity statement when confirming an individual’s right to work.

From 27 November 2008 the Government introduced new immigration controls which included a new points based, sponsorship system to replace the old work permit system.

Everyone who is provisionally offered a post with the council must provide certain original documents (to enable the HR team to check identity and right to work in the UK) in order to comply with the requirements of the 2006 Asylum & Immigration Act. Details of the documents which are required will be given in the provisional offer which is sent to all successful applicants.

|Back to Top

Who can work in the UK?

  • Citizens from most of the EEA countries can work in the UK without Home Office authorisation. Nationals from some EEA countries must register under the Worker Registration Scheme if they are to be employed in the UK for one month or longer.
  • Citizens from Romania and Bulgaria will continue to require a work permit to work in the UK. Further details about this scheme can be found on the UK Border & Immigration website in the external links section at the bottom of this page.
|Back to Top

Sponsorship scheme

Since November 2008 only skilled workers from outside the EEA can be considered for a job in the UK when the job cannot be filled by a settled worker. Assessment for eligibility is based on a points system, points are awarded by the Home Office based on existing qualifications; future expected earnings; language skills and funds available for support.

|Back to Top

Process for sponsorship

Applicants can only be sponsored by the employer who has offered the job.

Once the offer has been made, the employer applies to the UK Border & Immigration Agency for a Certificate of Sponsorship.

If the application is accepted, a Certificate is issued and the employer notifies the migrant worker of the reference number given on the Certificate

Quoting the reference number, the migrant worker applies to the UK Border & Immigration Agency for permission to enter and stay the UK. If an application is not made within the time limit, the process must begin. If permission is granted, the appointment can go ahead and Haringey’s standard recruitment process is followed.

|Back to Top

Working Students

Students from outside the UK or EEA are only allowed to work if their visa gives them specific permission to do so, permission to work is likely to be restricted as follows

  • Working a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time
  • Only taking a temporary and not permanent job

Before an offer of employment can be finalised, the original passport and visa stamp must be seen by HR.

|Back to Top

Worker registration

The Worker Registration Scheme was introduced in 2004 when new countries joined the European Union. It allowed monitoring the type of work being carried out by workers from these countries

You will normally have to register under the Worker Registration Scheme if you wish to work for an employer in the United Kingdom for more than one month and are a citizen of:

  • Czech Republic
  • Estonia
  • Hungary
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Poland
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia

Further details of how to register can be found on the Border & Immigration website.

|Back to Top

Advice for Migrants from Romania and Bulgaria

There are special rules for migrants from Romania and Bulgaria who want to work in the UK. The Borders and Immigration Agency have produced a guide to these rights and responsibilities, called Living and Working in the United Kingdom - Bulgarian and Romanian Nationals, along with leaflets in Bulgarian and Romanian that summarise this information. These can all be found in the attached files section at the bottom of the page.

More information can also be found on the Borders and Immigration website, highlighted in the external links section at the bottom of this page.

|Back to Top

Refugees

If you have been granted leave to remain, you will be entitled to seek work in the UK. If you need support finding work, you may be eligible for support under the Haringey Guarantee. You may also find information under our Job Search Support section useful.

If you have a higher level education or a professional qualification, the Refugee Assessment and Guidance Unit (RAGU) at London Metropolitan University, based on the Holloway Road, may be able to offer additional support to find the right job for you. More information on RAGA’s services can be found by following the link to their website in the external links section at the bottom of the page

Further Information

Detailed information concerning the new scheme can be found on the UK Border & Immigration Website via the external links section below.

|Back to Top

Attached Files

The following links are not part of the Haringey Council website. Please read our legal disclaimer before using these links

Page Last Updated: 13 May 2013

If you want to give comments on the service itself please visit our Contact page.