The following countries are in the EEA:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Switzerland is not in the EEA but an international treaty means that Swiss nationals have similar rights to live and work in the UK as EEA nationals.

Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU from the 1st January 2007. This means that nationals from Bulgaria and Romania do not require a visa to come to the UK, and can remain in the country so long as they are a student, self employed or otherwise self sufficient. However, they do not automatically have the right to work.

EEA/Swiss nationals (apart from Bulgarian or Romanian Nationals)
If you are an EEA or Swiss national, you will need permission to work in the UK. However, if you are from Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia or Slovenia, you will need to register under the Worker Registration Scheme if you plan to work for more than one month for an employer in the UK.

Bulgarian/Romanian Nationals
Transitional arrangements have been put in place to manage the employment of Bulgarian and Romanian nationals migrating to the UK. If you are from Bulgaria or Romania and wish to work in the UK you must first get permission to do so. If you are highly skilled you can try to get a registration certificate allowing you full access to the labour market. You do not need a registration certificate if you are a student (and not working), self-employed, or otherwise self-sufficient.

If you do not qualify for a registration certificate you may be able to get an accession worker card allowing you to work, but you will normally need a company in the UK to obtain approval for you to work with them before you can apply for the card. Seasonal workers may work in the UK if they come under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme.

Visit the UK Border Agency for more information for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals

Non EEA nationals.
Anyone who wants to work in the UK, and who is not a national of the EEA or a Swiss national, will probably need permission to do so. During 2008 and 2009 the UK is changing its work permits system to a new points-based system. Under the new system, migrants will need to pass a points-based assessment before they are given permission to enter or remain in the United Kingdom. See below for more details or visit the UK Border Agency website.

However, if you are a visiting academic (perhaps on sabatical leave or taking part in an exchange) you may be able to stay and perform research for up to 12 months without applying through the points-based system. Several conditions apply to this and you should see the guidance for visiting academics for more details.

If you are from outside the EEA and you want to work in the UK you will need to pass a points-based assessment when you apply for permission to enter or remain in the UK you will need to pass a points-based assessment when you apply for permission to enter or remain in the UK. The points-based system consists of five tiers:

• Tier 1 - Highly skilled workers, for example scientists and entrepreneurs. This tier also includes 'post-study workers'; people who have studied in the UK and attained a high level of achievment. If you qualified under the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme (SEGS), International Graduates Scheme (IGS) or Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme (FT:WISS) you can apply under the post-study worker category.
• Tier 2 - Skilled workers with a job offer, for example teachers and nurses.
• Tier 3 - Low skilled workers filling specific temporary labour shortages; for example contruction workers for a particular project.
• Tier 4 - Students
• Tier 5 - Youth mobility and temporary workers; for example musicians coming to play in a concert.

Points are awarded for different attributes (for example, your qualifications, age, previous earnings, English language skills, and your available funds) and you need acertain number of points depending on the tier which you apply under. You can perform a self-assessment online to determine how many points you might be awarded when you apply.

If you have enough points to qualify under tier 1 you can come to the UK (or remain here after studying) and look for work without needing to be sponsored by a UK employer. For all other tiers you will need a UK sponsor; either an employer or, for tier 4, an educational institution.
You can find out more information, and details of how to apply, on the UK Border Agency website.

International students can usually work in the UK provided that they meet the general requirements about the type of work they take and the number of hours they work while studying. Students should not work for more than 20 hours a week during term time but they may work full time during their vacation period. A student must not engage in business, self-employment or the provision of services as a professional sports person or entertainer. A student is not permitted to pursue a career by filling a permanent full-time vacancy.

UKCISA: The UK Council for International student Affairs provides advice on when students can and cannot work legally in the UK.