EU business: working in the UK
Find out what EU citizens need to do if they are working in the UK from 1 January 2021.
New rules for January 2021
The UK has left the EU, and the transition period after Brexit comes to an end this year.
This page tells you what you’ll need to do from 1 January 2021. It will be updated if anything changes.
Check what else you need to do during the transition period.
January 2021. It also sets out how qualifications will apply for professional roles like lawyers and teachers.
For more information on what EU businesses need to do to prepare for 1 January 2021, visit gov.uk/eubusiness.
Driving in the UK
EU drivers should carry a Green Card or other valid proof of insurance when driving in the UK.
Check the Driving in Great Britain on a non-GB licence page for up-to-date information on the documents you will need to drive in the UK.
Business activity in the UK
From 1 January 2021, freedom of movement between the EU and UK will end. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens entering the UK for work purposes may need to apply for a visa through the UK’s points-based immigration system. This depends on the nature of their visit.
For visits under 6 months, EU, EEA and Swiss citizens will be able to enter the UK without applying for a visa. They may participate in business-related activities, such as meetings, events and conferences.
Find out more about permitted business-related activity for visits to the UK under 6 months.
If you require EU, EEA or Swiss citizens to go to the UK to work for longer than 6 months, you will need to check the UK’s immigration laws.
Find out more about the UK’s immigration laws.
If you employ or intend to employ an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen to commute into the UK, you will need to consult guidance for frontier workers.
Find out more about frontier working into the UK.
The new rules do not apply to Irish citizens because of the Common Travel Area arrangement.
Find out about any travel restrictions in place on travel into the UK due to coronavirus.
Teacher qualifications
Teachers who qualified in the EU, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland will still be able to apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England after 1 January 2021, but the process is changing.
From 1 January 2021, teachers who qualified in any of these countries applying for QTS will need to provide a letter of professional standing. The letter will need to be from the organisation responsible for regulating teachers in the country in which they qualified.
