Job Discussion Forums

jamesallan · Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 36

As a British National which countries am I allowed to seek employment in without requiring any additional visas?

Thanks

poro · Joined: 04 Oct 2004 Posts: 274

You can work anywhere in the EU without a visa. All you need is a residency permit, so far as I know.

CharlesTESOL · Joined: 06 Jul 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Barcelona, Spain

I am not sure that you can automatically work in the 10 countries that joined the EU last may. However, you may work in the non-EU countries of Switzerland and Norway.

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

Switzerland? Is this really true?

CharlesTESOL · Joined: 06 Jul 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Barcelona, Spain

Sorry, I should have been more precise -- UK citizens will have the right to work in Switzerland as of June 2006. Until then the residence and work permit procedure has been "simplified" for UK nationals -- and for nationals of the other 14 countries that were part of the EU prior to enlargement. I believe that this simplified process is handled at the local (canton) level. For more information go to

http://www.swissemigration.ch/imperia/md/content/elias/r-z/SCHWEIZ_AK_E.pdf?PHPSESSID=4a052d982a43ee7a7821d3c531bd643d

cheeseandegg · Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 58

British citizens can work anywhere in the EU (old and new). However if you're from the Isle of Man or Channel Islands and have a stamp in your passport this may not apply.

New EU countries will generally allow British, Irish and Swedish citizens to work without a permit because those countries allow new EU citizens to work in their countries. For some countries (like Poland) you may need a Residency permit (like all locals) but this is easy to obtain and not exactly essential.