If you live in the EU, do you need a work permit to work in another EU country?

Answer 1

You are exempt from work permit requirements despite not being a citizen of an EU, EEA or Swiss country if and only if:

-- you are employed on a project in another EU country on behalf of your existing employer, for whom you are legally entitled to work in your EU country of legal residence, and

-- that work will not last for more than a year.

This will not exempt you for any visa requirements under Schengen or under national law.

If you are a citizen of the 15 "old" member EU states, the EEA or Switzerland, you can work in any of the others for any employer or for yourself. If you are a citizenof the 10 new members, you are entitled to work as above (indeed, that's what Rush Portuguesa was all about) or you may apply for permission to work. The UK has waived the permission requirement and any citizen of the 25 member states may work there.

I leave aside the issue of third-country national spouses of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, who have a derivative right to work if the spouse is in any kind of economic activity there, however minimal and part-time.

Most of the other answers before and after this one are demonstrably wrong. Read the 1990 decision of the ECJ, below (it was followed by another decision with the same result, and remains EU law):

Answer 2

That depends on your situation, and from country to country. If you are in a relationship with a person from that country, and if they can prove that they can support you until you find a job, all you need is a residency permit. If you are going there to find work, you will need to go to the Foreign Police department with your passport - most of the EU countries now have this sorted out, it is a way of checking that you are not a criminal and not a danger to the society into which you are moving - to get the work permit sorted out, and you will probably need to have a job offer in hand also. It takes a few weeks to sort the paperwork, but you can still work if you have the job already lined up.

Answer 3

I am from England and when I lived and worked in Spain. At first I was a holiday rep and as Thomas Cook were a UK company and we were paying Tax in the UK we managed to work without permits. But i was unable to open a bank account there or use the doctors

When I quit Thomas Cook I had to get a permit as nobody was willing to employ me without one. An those who would were too risky to work for as I had no protection so I the boss decided not to pay me I had no leg to stand on.

It was hard to get the permit as I Spoke little Spanish back then and had no idea where to get the permit (NIE number in Spain) from It was like going round and round a rounderbout and not finding the correct exit and going back on myself for a long time. I left me out of work and out of pocket as the paper took 3 months to come

I was lucky I had a hotel who let me work as they has a Russian and and Argentinian girl going throught the same process. It was longer and more complicated for them as they are not EU citizens.

If you were employed without a work permit the employer gets a heafty fine and it is not worth them risking it, I have seen this happen with Frankie and Benny's (my friend is management there (restaurant in the UK) They had problems having Brazillian's working in the kitchen who lied and said they were Portugees and permits were not requested
Also the last hotels in Spain where I worked having issues over employing Kenyans as cheap labour. Check with the Embasy of that country I guess

Answer 4

No, you have the right to work and live in any other EU country.

Answer 5

if you are citizen of one EU country, you are allowed to work in any EU country....
however, this said, always check the local situation as the individual countries are liable to bend the rules, and local prejeduces also come into play.
if you are not a citizen of an EU country, then you will have to re-apply for permits in the desination country.

Answer 6

Normally no. However, there are some temporary restrictions in force for workers from some of the newer members. A Lithuanian currently needs a work pemit for France, but a Brit doesn't.

Answer 7

Yes, work permit is required for documentation and other formalities (ie. tax, social and medical insurance, etc.), even if you are a citizen of an EU state.

Answer 8

No, freedom of movement is guaranteed under the European Convention. Unless you live in a poor country and want to go work in a rich one - then bugger off.

We British are a little more generous - if you want to work here - we may let you in to work - but not scrounge off our system. I wouldn't advise trying France or Germany though.

You may have to sort of pay a deposit to get in - just to show you're not destitute.

Answer 9

Yes - You need a visa for the country in which you intend to work

Answer 10

If you are a citizen, you don't, but if you merely have a work permit at your country of residence, you'd have to apply for another one (I think).