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Working in the UK

Changes to our immigration system

We are introducing a new points-based system. Find out how this may affect your application

This section contains details of most of the categories available to migrants who want to work in the United Kingdom. Each category has different requirements, so you should read the eligibility requirements for your chosen category in full before you apply.

If you are an employer in the United Kingdom and you want to know how to employ migrant workers, go to the Employers and education providers section.

Introduced in 2008, our points-based system for immigration has replaced most of our previous work-based categories. For more information about this change, see the Comparisons page.

If you are coming to the United Kingdom for a short time as a businessperson, sportsperson, entertainer or special visitor, see the Business and special visitors section to find out how to apply.

For highly skilled workers, investors, entrepreneurs and recent graduates from United Kingdom universities

You can apply to enter or stay in the United Kingdom in these categories without a job offer, but you will need to pass a points-based assessment.

For skilled workers with a job offer

If your prospective employer in the United Kingdomis willing to sponsor you, you can apply to enter or stay in the United Kingdom.

For temporary workers with a job offer

If your prospective employer in the United Kingdomis willing to sponsor you, you can apply to do certain types of work in the United Kingdom.

Other categories

You can also apply to work in the United Kingdom as adomestic worker;as the sole representative of an overseas firm; oras a representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation.

For workers from the European Economic Area and Switzerland

Most European national are free to enter and work in the United Kingdom - but if you are a national of a country that recently joined the European Union, you may have to register with us or apply for our permission before you begin work.

For workers and businesspersons from Turkey

Turkish citizens can benefit from a European agreement with Turkey if they want to establish themselvesin business in the United Kingdom, or if they are already working here legally.

For Commonwealth citizens with United Kingdom ancestry

If you are a Commonwealth citizen and at least one of your grandparents was born in the United Kingdom, you can apply to come here to work.