As promised in my last post, below is a very brief précis of how things will stand for employers or prospective employers of Romanian, Bulgarian and/or Croatian nationals as of 1 January 2014. This is, of course, providing that the Conservative backbenches do not succeed in their bid to scupper the changes.
As readers may already know, Romanians and Bulgarians have been subject to restrictions on their ability to work in the UK. Unless they have spent at least 12 months working for an employer in the UK, employing Romanians and Bulgarians has typically required employers to apply for work permits on their behalf. As of New Year's Day UK employers will be able to take on Romanian and Bulgarian nationals without any further complications. Effectively, they are to be treated in the same way as most other European Union nationals.
Croatians, however, continue to be subject to a number of restrictions similar to those which currently apply to Romanians and Bulgarians. Croatian nationals who have been employed in the UK will have full free movement rights and can apply, if they wish to, for a 'blue' registration certificate evidencing that fact. Croatian students can work for up to 20 hours a week provided that they apply for and obtain a 'yellow' certificate from the Home Office. Croatians who do not fall into a 'blue' or 'yellow' category will need to apply for a 'purple' work authorisation document, unless they are exempt from the requirement to do so. Full details of exemptions are available from the Home Office or, alternatively, are summarised in a previous blog post.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
