Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hamilton of Epsom on 2016-02-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether EU citizens can enter the UK for the purposes of seeking employment.

Lord Bates

All European Union citizens may enter the UK on production of a valid passport or identity card and have an initial right to reside for three months. Those who wish to stay longer can do so as a jobseeker for a further three months, providing they have a genuine prospect of work. After that period, they must be exercising a Treaty right as a worker, a student, or a self-employed or self-sufficient person, or be liable for removal.

The new EU settlement negotiated by the Prime Minster also confirms that we do not have to pay Universal Credit to EU nationals who come to the UK as jobseekers.

In line with the transitional controls imposed through the Accession of Croatia (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations, Croatian nationals, who are subject to worker authorisation, have no right to reside in the UK as jobseekers.