Have you finally got an Irish work permit after months of hard work? Are you looking to expand your professional horizons further and work in the UK instead? Well, although it is no cup of tea to relocate to the UK, one surely can not do so on an Irish work permit. The process of getting the right to work in the UK is completely different and tedious.
The primary fact here is that if you have a work permit, that does not mean you are considered an Irish citizen. Thus, by consequence, you also can not exercise the same rights as an Irish citizen.
Let us now identify the fundamental aspects to debunk the question effectively.
Can I Work In The UK Legally With An Irish Work Permit?
The fundamental and straightforward answer to this question is, in fact, “No”. To explain this better, let us refresh our knowledge of the implications of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangement.
This is an arrangement between Ireland and the UK that enables Irish citizens and citizens of the UK to freely move, reside or work in either of the countries. The emphasis here is on the word ‘citizen’.
If you need a work permit to work in Ireland, this means that you do not count as an Irish or UK national. This implies that the work permit that you got from the Irish government is not accepted by the UK government. You will need to fill out the UK visa application if you want to work in the UK in that case.
Why Can You Not Work In The UK With An Irish Work Permit?
In some scenarios, you will require a proper UK skilled worker visa, whereas, in some scenarios, you will be able to enter the UK on an entry clearance visa before leaving the country.
Your existing Irish work permit may prove to be beneficial in your visa application. However, it is not recognised by the UK as a valid travel document or work permit. Since there are proper border controls in place, you have to be very careful and understand the boundaries of your permit.
In short, since these are two completely different nations, the permission to work in these two places must also be obtained in different manners. Someone’s Irish work permit is not a path to work legally in the United Kingdom.
What Rights Do Irish Citizens Enjoy Under The CTA?
As mentioned before, Irish citizens enjoy a multitude of rights under the Common Travel Area arrangement. These rights for Irish citizens include:
- Access to social benefits
- Access to healthcare
- Access to social housing supports
- The right to vote in certain elections
The most important, however, that is not mentioned above is that Irish citizens can not only travel freely between the UK and their country, but they can also work and live in any country of the two that they wish to. This also means that they may wish to work in one country and reside in the other.
On goods and customs, however, these rights do not apply exactly and are different.
Obtaining An Irish Work Permit
Since Ireland is a part of the EU, EU/Swiss/EEA nationals may choose to take up employment or live in any part of the country without going through any lengthy legal process.
However, if you are not a citizen of the above-mentioned nationalities, you will have to obtain a work permit to work in the country. You can either go through the application process alone or choose to consult a visa agency. To be eligible for such a permit, you will require:
- You must be offered a job by an Irish-based company.
- Depending on what permit you are applying for, you must meet the minimum salary threshold.
- The employees of the company that you will be working in must compromise 50% of an EU/EEA/Swiss national.
Some of the documents that you will be asked to present when applying for an Ireland work permit are:
- A copy of your passport
- A passport-sized picture
- Details of your employment
- Details of someone to contact
- Relevant registration/pin or license number of the company
- A copy of the work contract
- Proof of funds
- Evidence of accommodation
Obtaining A UK Work Permit
Since it has already been established that you cannot legally work in the UK on an Irish work permit, it is also evident that you will need to obtain a UK work permit. The rules to be eligible for a UK work permit are quite different yet similar to an Irish work permit.
If you are applying for a job that comes under the skilled worker category, you are eligible to apply for the UK tier-2 general visa, which has now been changed to the UK work visa. The UK work visa requirements are as follows:
- A sponsorship certificate from a UK employer with a valid sponsorship license
- To meet the minimum salary threshold, depending on your occupation and experience in the profession.
- To meet the minimum English language requirements. The minimum IELTS score for a UK work visa is a CEFR score of B1.
How To Apply For A UK Work Permit?
Since the UK visa process can be quite lengthy and confusing, it may be a good idea to consult any agency and get their UK visa services.
However, in general, you will need to go through the following steps to obtain oh a for the UK.
- Identify the kind of visa you need
- Fill out the online application form
- Collect the documents required for a UK visa
- Schedule an appointment and give the visa interview
- Have patience and wait for the results!
Hire Professional UK Visa Consultant To Avoid Any Kind Of Confusion!
The bottom line is that your Irish work permit is not valid in the UK, and you will be required to obtain a work visa for the UK unless you are an Irish or UK national already. Hire a professional visa consultant like Work Permitz to apply for a UK work permit if you wish to work and settle in the United Kingdom.