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Your employer will need to know if it is legal for you to work in the UK and whether you need a work permit or visa. You will need to show proof of your right to work.
If you want to come to the UK to work, whether you can do so depends on who you are and where you are from. Unless you're a British citizen or a citizen of one of the European Economic Area (EEA) countries, you may need a visa before you travel here.
If you have to get a visa, you'll need to be cleared by officials at a British Overseas Mission in your country of origin. Once cleared, the entry clearance certificate, or visa, will be put into your passport or travel document.
If you're from one of the new EU member, or 'accession', states you may need to register with the Home Office or the UK Border agency There are currently two categories of accession states, A8 ( the countries that joined the EU in 2004) and A2 (the countries that joined in 2007)
The A8 countries are:
Workers from these countries don't need to register to work in the UK if they are:
You do not need authorisation if you are self-employed.
There are a few other circumstances when you wouldn't need to register if you're from one of the accession states.
As an agency or temporary worker, you’ll need to register to work within a month of starting work.
If you’re an international student you may not need permission to work here when you’re studying. If your home country is in the EEA, or you’re a Swiss national, you can work without restrictions on the type or amount of work you do.
Otherwise, you should check the visa stamp in your passport. If it says ‘prohibited’ you can’t work in the UK. If it grants you leave to enter or remain in the UK as a student, you can work here provided you:
If you are a student from an A2 country you will need permission from the UK Border Agency to work. You will be allowed to work for up to 20 hours per week and full time during vacations or if you are on a vocational course.
If you are a student from an A8 country and you wish to work you should check whether you need to register the work with the Worker Registration Scheme.
You could also check the visa stamp in your passport. If it says 'prohibited' you can't work in the UK. If it grants you leave to enter or remain in the UK as a student, you can work here provided you:
If you want to work in the UK and are not from an EEA country or Switzerland, it is likely you will need to apply under the points-based system.
There are five tiers in the points-based system:
Tier 1 of the points-based system was introduced on 30 June 2008. You should apply under this tier if you want to come or extend your stay in the UK and you are a:
Tier 2 opened for migrants on 27 November 2008. You should apply under this tier if you are a skilled worker with a job offer. For example, if you are a teacher or a nurse.
To apply under Tier 2 you need to have:
Tier 3, the route for low-skilled workers is currently suspended.
Tier 4 for students was introduced on 31 March 2009. There are two types of student categories in Tier 4 of the points-based system:
Tier 5 opened for migrants on 27 November 2008. You should apply under this tier if you are a youth mobility or temporary worker. For example, if you are a musician coming to play in a concert.
To apply under Tier 5 you need to have:
If you need more information on the points-based system visit the UK Border Agency website at Points-based system 
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If you’re from an EEA country, you’ll need to show a prospective employer your passport, national identity card or Home Office Registration Certificate.
If you are from an A2 or A8 country and need permission to work from the UK Border Agency you will need to show your work document.
Employers can face unlimited fines if they employ illegal workers, so they need to make sure that no one they employ is working in the UK illegally. However, to protect themselves against discrimination laws, they should treat all job applicants equally. So don’t be offended if you’re asked to prove your nationality, even if it’s ‘obvious’. Even UK nationals will be asked to provide proof of their nationality.
If you don’t have a passport or haven’t access to it, there are other combinations of documents that you can use as proof of your identification.
For England, Wales and Scotland the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) offers free, confidential and impartial advice on all employment rights issues. You can call the Acas helpline on 08457 47 47 47 from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm Monday to Friday and from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm on Saturdays.
For Northern Ireland, the Labour Relations Agency (LRA) offers free, confidential and impartial advice on all employment rights issues. You can call the LRA helpline on 028 9032 1442 from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday.
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