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Work permits - Bulgarian and Romanian nationals only

Switching into work permit employment

This page explains if you are able to switch into work permit employment if you are in the United Kingdom.

If you are a Bulgarian or Romanian national, you can apply to switch into work employment without leaving the United Kingdom if you have existing leave as:

  • a student who has successfully obtained a degree level qualification at a United Kingdom registered higher or further educational establishment; or
  • a student nurse, overseas qualified nurse, midwife, postgraduate doctor, postgraduate dentist or trainee general practitioner who has a valid in-country work permit approval for employment as a nurse, doctor or dentist; or
  • a Science and Engineering Graduate Scheme or International Graduate Scheme participant; or
  • a working holidaymaker who has spent more than 12 months in total in the United Kingdom in this capacity and who holds a valid in-country work permit approval for employment in an occupation listed on the UK Border Agency shortage occupations list (PDF 33K opens in a new window); or
  • a highly skilled migrant; or
  • an innovator; or
  • an applicant who is undertaking the PLAB test, a clinical attachment or a dental observation post, who has a valid in-country work permit approval for employment as a doctor or dentist; or
  • a Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme participant who holds a valid in-country work permit approval for employment in Scotland.

You should contact the business team who dealt with your work permit application if you want to make any changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can the overseas national work while the application is being processed if they are already living in the United Kingdom?

    Normally if you have been issued with a new work permit you can not start working under the conditions of that permit until you have been granted further leave to remain (FLR) to do so using application form FLR(IED). However, you may work while the FLR(IED) form is being processed if you have valid leave to remain in an immigration category that allows you to do so.

    For example, if you are residing in the United Kingdom as a working holidaymaker or on a permit-free training visa, you can continue to work until a decision is made on your FLR as long as the work permit application and the associated application for FLR is received before the expiry date of your visa.

    An interim arrangement is currently in place whereby existing work permit holders can start a new job on the strength of the work permit permission letter, providing his/her existing leave to remain covers all or part of the period of the new employment. In these cases individuals will then have to submit a further leave to remain application before their existing leave expires, or within six months, whichever is the sooner. As the employer's work permit will have been approved, and the individual will still have to submit a further leave to remain application, this does not undermine immigration controls.

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  • European Economic Area

    Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are not members of the European Union (EU) but citizens of these countries have the same rights to enter, live in and work in the United Kingdom as EU citizens.

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