There is no doubt UK nationals will find it harder to work in Europe now the UK has left the EU, with additional paperwork such as a visa applications and fees likely to be involved. Having these restrictions applied could result in fewer contractors working outside the UK.
TCP operates in 8 countries across Europe, with partners across the globe. Here we discuss restrictions UK nationals face in the 8 countries we operate, and how they can get a visa to work in Europe.
Denmark
UK citizens already residing in Denmark before this date will have the same rights as before, provided;
- You have obtained an EU residence certificate
- You have registered for a CPR number
After the 31 December 2020 you will need to apply for a new residence permit should you wish to continue to live and work in Denmark. Currently, this must be done during 2021, however, please keep yourself up to date by visiting the Danish government website and the UK government website.
UK citizens that arrive in Denmark after the 31 December who wish to live and work in Denmark will not be covered by the EU rules, and will have to obtain a residence and work permit as a non-EU national. More information can be found on the Danish Immigration Website. Please note that work cannot commence before a work permit has been obtained.
It is important that you keep yourself up to date on the situation, please have a look at the government website regularly for updates:
https://uim.dk/brexit/brexit-how-does-it-affect-you-as-a-british-citizen-living-in-denmark
Norway
UK citizens already residing in Norway before the end of the transition period will have the same rights as before, provided they have registered with the department of Immigration.
The registration can be done on their online portal www.udi.no or by booking an appointment with your local police station.
For UK citizens that wish to move to Norway after the transition period has ended, the regulations for citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA will apply. This means that a residence and work permit should be obtained before the individual moves to Norway. More information regarding entry, residence, work and citizenship can be found at www.udi.no
Information regarding Brexit can be found at the Norwegian Government’s website: www.regjeringen.no and the UK Government has information for UK citizens living in Norway: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-norway
It is important that you keep yourself up to date on the situation, please have a look at the government website regularly for updates: www.regjeringen.no
Sweden
A proposed residence status is being introduced for UK citizens who wish to continue to live and work in Sweden after 31 December 2020 – the application will open on 1 December 2020 and can be completed online.
To be able to obtain residence status, the applicant must live in Sweden in accordance with European Union law no later than 31 December 2020. You can read more about the application process and where to apply on the Swedish Immigration website: https://www.migrationsverket.se/English/Private-individuals/British-citizens.html
For UK citizens that wish to move to Sweden after the transition period has ended, the regulations for citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA will apply. This means that a residence and work permit should be obtained before the move to Sweden. More information regarding entry, residence, work and citizenship can be found at www.migrationsverket.se
Information regarding Brexit can be found at the Swedish Government’s website: https://www.regeringen.se/ and the UK Government also has information for UK citizens in living in Sweden: https://www.gov.uk/uk-nationals-living-eu
It is important that you keep yourself up to date on the situation, please have a look at the government website regularly for updates: https://www.regeringen.se/
Finland
As of 1 January 2021, U.K. citizens will be treated the same as any other non-EU citizens at the time of the entry, and the EU directive on free movement as well as the right of residence under the Withdrawal Agreement will no longer apply to them.
According to current information, U.K. citizens will not be required to have a visa for stays in the EU, including Finland, of up to 90 days over any 180-day period as of 1 January 2021. Before travelling to the EU, passengers are advised to check the validity of their travel documents and make sure that they meet the conditions for entry. Failure to comply with one of the conditions of entry may result in a refusal of entry into the EU.
Your residence permit depends on your work
When you are applying for a residence permit in order to work in Finland, you should notice that there are specific residence permit applications for certain types of work. Read more about the requirements, and find out what you should do, on the page of each application. If you are not sure what application form you should use, use the Application Finder to find out.
If there is no specific residence permit application for your work, you must apply for a residence permit for an employed person. An Employment and Economic Development Office will make a partial decision on your application.
Germany
If UK citizens are resident in Germany before the end of the transition period on 31.12.2020, they have the opportunity to stay. To confirm their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, they should obtain a new residence document here.
From 1 January 2021, nationals of the United Kingdom who have no entitlement under the Withdrawal Agreement and who enter the European Union and the Schengen area (which Germany is a part of) will be treated as nationals of countries that do not belong to the European Union (third-country nationals) and will thus be subject to thorough checks at the borders of the Schengen area. For more information in English about the entry requirements for third-country nationals, please refer to the website of the Federal Foreign Office
Skilled or highly qualified workers may enter Germany only if they prove their need to be present in Germany (e.g. by presenting a job contract) and provide evidence that their employment in Germany is necessary from an economic perspective and the work cannot be postponed or performed from abroad (by providing documentation from their employer/contracting authority). The economic necessity relates to the economic relationships and/or the economy of Germany or the single market. Relevant documentation is to be submitted during the visa procedure (if a visa is required), carried during travel and presented during border checks if requested. You can find more information here.
Belgium
UK citizens who wishes to work in Belgium for more than 90 days must submit a combined application to the competent Region, through their employer, which serves as an application for a permit to work and as an application for a permit to reside.
If the work permit and residence permit are issued, respectively by the Region and by the Immigration Office, the UK citizen will receive a single document (attachment 46) proving that he/she can stay in Belgium for more than 90 days to work (single permit).
It is up to the contractor to request a visa to be able to enter Belgium: more information here.
Ireland
UK citizens do not need a visa or residency permit to live, work or study in Ireland. Under the Common Travel Area (CTA), UK and Irish citizens can live and work freely in each other’s countries and travel freely between them. Both the UK and Irish governments are committed to protecting the CTA. Find more information on the Common Travel Area here. You can also find more information about moving to Ireland on GOV.UK.
UK
A new immigration system will apply to those arriving in the UK from 1 January 2021 and EU citizens moving to the UK to work will need to get a visa in advance. If you are an EU citizen applying for a skilled worker visa, you will need to demonstrate that you have a job offer from an approved employer sponsor to be able to apply.
EU nationals who do not qualify for a status under the EUSS, and non-EU nationals, will also be subject to the new skills based immigration system. You can find more information on the UK’s new points-based immigration system on GOV.UK.
How TCP can help
We have registered entities in all the countries where we operate and can support work visa applications as well as act as the employer of record and manage the payroll according to local legislation, allowing TCP to manage the risks involved and indemnify our clients.
Would you like to know more? Call our UK office on: 0044 (0)208 580 0800 or fill in our contact us form here and a member of our sales team will get back to you as soon as possible.
