We are receiving prospects from our recruitment partners for British nationals to take positions in the EU/EEA. We have to tell these candidates that they need a work permit, assuming that they had not registered before the Transition Period ended on 31st December 2020. Unfortunately, this leads to disappointment from the candidate and you lose a deal and face with your client, and everyone has to start again.
So, what can you do? When you select a contractor for a role, you need to check that they have the legal right to work. If they don’t, our strong recommendation is to find someone who does, i.e. an EU/EEA national to work in the EU/EEA.
The legal right to work can come from:
- Holding an EU/EEA passport besides having UK nationality.
- If they are married to an EU citizen and move to another EU country than their spouse’s home country, they can obtain a residence visa and a work permit. Some but not all EU/EEA countries accept same-sex partnerships.
- They hold an employed or self-employed work visa.
Yes, it is possible to apply for a work permit in the EU/EEA, but it is not free, will take time and may not be successful.
Post-Brexit Brits without the express right to work in an EU/EEA country may work only in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
UK nationals no longer have the right to work at all in the EU/EEA, cut off from a labour market from a population of 520 million, compared with the UK population of 67 million.