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If you’re looking to make an application for a UK Frontier Worker Permit, our immigration lawyers are here to help make sure you are eligible for this scheme.
Our expert immigration solicitors are here to provide advice and guidance on the application process for Frontier Worker Permits. All of our solicitors are knowledgeable about the latest changes to UK immigration law and can help you to navigate the UK immigration system.
To speak to a solicitor about applying for a Frontier Work Permit, call us on 0044 161 234 6800 or 0044 207 046 7185, or fill in our contact form to request a call back.
We specialise in all aspects of work and business immigration law to ensure that employees have the right to work in the UK. Our specialist immigration lawyers can help with the application process for Frontier Worker Permits by:
We can also discuss your long-term plans and individual circumstances and help you to understand what visa options are available.
Frontier workers are people who live in one country but regularly work in another. This includes any EU citizen or citizen of the EEA or Switzerland who is employed or self-employed in the UK but lives elsewhere. These individuals are also referred to as cross-border workers.
For this reason, frontier working comes in a variety of forms, for example, a Spanish employee of a multinational company could share their time between offices in Madrid and London.
The Frontier Worker Permit allows EEA and Swiss nationals to work in the UK while living in another country.
Individuals with a Frontier Worker Permit will be able to:
Irish citizens do not need to apply for a permit; they have the right to enter, live and work in the UK under the Common Travel Area arrangements.
To be eligible for a Frontier Worker Permit, you must:
Eligible work is defined broadly. You must demonstrate your work in the UK is ‘genuine and effective’, which essentially means it must be more than small, one-off tasks.
The requirement to have worked in the UK for at least once every 12 months since first working here will pose problems for new applicants. This is because more than 12 months have passed since the 31st December 2020 deadline.
You may still be eligible to apply for a Frontier Worker Permit despite the gap of more than 12 months if you were:
This is known as having ‘retained worker’ or ‘retained self-employed person’ status.
If you become involuntarily unemployed and are looking for work, you will keep the frontier worker status for as long as you continue to look for work, as long as you worked in the UK for a year or more before becoming unemployed.
The application for a Frontier Worker Permit is free of charge and can be made online from either inside or outside of the UK via the gov.uk site. Applicants will be required to prove their identity as part of the application, which can be done either via the UK Immigration ID check app or by attending a visa application centre to submit biometric information.
Documents that you may need in order to apply for a permit include:
– Evidence of your employment start date, your place of work and the nature of your work
– Confirmation from the employer that the frontier worker is required to travel to the UK for work purposes
If an application is approved, a digital permit will be provided – a physical permit will be available. Permits will be valid for five years unless you hold retained frontier worker status, in which case, permits are granted for just two years.
If you need support or advice on any matters relating to the Frontier Worker Permit Scheme, get in touch with us today. Call on 0044 161 234 6800 or 0044 207 046 7185, or complete our contact form and we will get back to you shortly.
Frontier workers should receive their permits within 10 days of receiving the decision notice about your application. You should receive an email with information about your permit being sent to you.
There are no application fees for a Frontier Worker Permit application, and individuals are not required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.
A Frontier Worker Permit does not not lead to settlement (indefinite leave to remain) as it acts as a right of admission for a person who is exempt from immigration control. However, permits can be extended indefinitely provided the applicant continues to fulfil the requirements of a frontier worker or cross-border worker.
Family members are not able to apply as dependents.
Like most immigration applications, applications can be refused if the immigration status of that individual is lost (i.e. that person stops working and loses their frontier worker status), or for reasons of public policy, security or health. Appeals and administration reviews can be sought against refusals in certain circumstances.
The Frontier Worker Permit Scheme is open to nationals of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Are you hoping to work in the UK? Have you been offered a job role and seek permission to work here? Our immigration lawyers are experts in the operation of UK and European legislation that affects foreign workers.
If you need help securing a visa through the entrepreneur route, the immigration solicitors at Latitude Law are here to help. We can help you through the application process and provide legal advice and guidance on complex matters, such as appeals.
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All content on this page was reviewed by Latitude Law and is accurate as of 15/02/2023