Worker Registration Scheme to be closed

The UK is closing the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS) effective 30 April 2011.

The WRS was established in 2004 for 8 of the new EU Accession states - Estonia, Lativa, Lithuania, Czech Rep, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Slovenia. It required the registration of any employment taken up, in an effort to monitor entry to the UK employment market.

Of course, nationals of the A8 countries, as they are known, moved to the UK in far greater numbers than ever anticipated. This in part lead to much greater restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian nationals upon joining the EU in 2007.

Under EU law, any restriction on A8 nationals is not permitted for more than 7 years after accession to the EU, hence the government's announcement.

After 30 April, A8 nationals will have complete freedom to enter the UK labour market on the same terms as nationals of other EU countries such as France, Italy etc... No registration will be required.

This will also affect the process for non EEA family members to move to the UK.

For information on EEA law in moving to the UK, please visit our dedicated EEA webpage for your Free EEA Guide;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/UK-visas-permit-EEA-nationals-families.html