CCM20040 - Migrant Workers: Migrant Workers from the European Economic Area (EEA)

Citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) are free to move, live and work anywhere in the EEA. This is a fundamental principle of European Law. So a UK National is free to go and live and work in Germany and a French National is free to come and live and work in the UK. EEA nationals are entitled to reside in the UK for an initial period of 3 months. An EEA National who is in the UK for more than 3 months will have a right to reside as long as they remain a “qualified person” - CCM20050

On 1 May 2004 ten new countries joined the EEA. Eight of these countries had restrictions placed on them by the UK for an initial period of five years in order to regulate access to its labour market - CCM20100. This was subsequently extended for a further two years to 30 April 2011. The restrictions meant that nationals of these eight countries, unless exempt, must register their employment with the Home Office Workers Registration Scheme. From 1 May 2011, nationals of these eight countries (collectively referred to as A8 nationals) were no longer required to register their employment with the Home Office Workers Registration Scheme.

On 1 January 2007, Bulgaria and Romania joined the EEA. Similar to A8 nationals, workers from Bulgaria and Romania also have a restriction on their access to the UK labour market for an initial period of 5 years after joining the EEA. These restrictions mean that nationals of these countries (commonly referred to as A2 nationals), unless exempt, must register their employment with the Home Office Workers Authorisation Scheme - CCM20130