Bulgarian and Romanian nationals’ right to live and work in the UK
If you are a EEA or Swiss national looking to enter and live within the UK, there is no need to apply for permission, if evidence can be shown of the ability to support you and your family in the UK without showing unreasonable burden on public funding. It is worth noting however that a Bulgarian and Romanian national may potentially have to apply for permissions before they can work in the UK.
Normal procedures when looking to work and become an employee in the UK is to seek permission before employment commences. You will need to get an accession worker card or there is the option to apply for work under either the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme or the Sectors Based Scheme.
If you decide to become self-employed no permission is needed to work within this capacity, although you can apply for a registration certificate as confirmation of your right to work on a self-employed basis within the UK.
What is a Registration Certificate?
As soon as you have been legally working with an employee status for at least 12 months without having taken a break you are granted complete free movement meaning permission is no longer required to work. A registration certificate is then obtained confirming the right to both work and live in the UK, although having this certificate is not made compulsory.
For those students that are looking to live in the UK, employment can be taken for a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time and full time employment is permitted during holidays from your chosen course. It is however under these circumstances that a registration certificate is granted confirming your student status. It is very important that the registration certificate is obtained prior to finding employment.
As Bulgaria or Romania are countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) no permission is needed under the rules of immigration to enter or even stay in the UK. If your plans are to work then an application needs to be made for an accession worker card but there are exemptions to the rule.
Those exempt include (but not limited):
- Under the Immigration Act 1971 you have the right to enter (leave) and that leave does not state any restrictions on working in the UK
- You have been working with permission for a minimum period of 12 months ending on 31 December 2006.
- Also a citizen of the UK or other EEA state (with exception to Bulgaria and Romania)
- Spouse/civil partner of a British citizen
The majority of types of employment will request that the employer receives a work permit prior to applying for an accession worker card. There are however some types of employment that are permit-free and an accession worker card is sufficient. These include (but not limited):
- Au Pairs
- Airport-based employees for an overseas airline
- Doctors
- Teachers
- Private servants
- Qualified nurses
Those individuals that hold a high level of skills will only need a registration certificate as detailed above.
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Number of teenage drinkers falling
The results of a survey from the NHS Information Centre suggest that the numbers of teenagers who have started drinking, taking drugs or smoking has started to fall.
The survey involved over 7,000 pupils from nearly 250 schools in England.
The results showed that for 2010, 45% of pupils between the age of 11 and 15 admitted to having tried alcohol. This figure was lower than the figure for 2009, which was 51%. Furthermore, only 32% of the respondents thought that it was OK for people of their age to drink alcohol.
The pupils were also asked if they had consumed any alcohol in the week before taking the survey. 13% said that they had, whilst in the 2001 survey, 26% had confirmed this. 60% of those who confirmed that they drink also indicated that they tend to drink over 4 units of alcohol.
The results also showed that 27% of pupils admitted to have smoked at least once. Furthermore, 5% confirmed that they were regular smokers and survey indicated that girls were more likely to start smoking than boys.
The proportion of respondents who admitted to trying drugs was 18%, and the most common drug that was tried was cannabis. This figure has fallen from 29% in the 2001 survey.
The study also suggested that people who smoked were also more likely to have tried alcohol and other drugs.
Chris Sorek, the chief executive of Drink Aware, believes that the figures are encouraging as they show both a reduction in the numbers of teenagers who are drinking as well as a change in attitudes.