Non-EU nationals

The freedom to move to another EU country to work without a work permit is a right for EU nationals.

Non-EU nationals may have the right to work in an EU country or to be treated equally with EU nationals as regards conditions of work. These rights depend on their status as family members of EU nationals and on their own nationality.

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway

Although these countries are not members of the EU, their nationals can work in the EU on the same footing as EU nationals, since they belong to the European Economic Area.

Workers from some EU countries may face temporary restrictions on working in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway. Currently these are: Bulgaria and Romania.

Switzerland

Under the EU-Switzerland agreement on the free movement of persons, Swiss nationals are free to live and work in the EU and likewise EU nationals in Switzerland.

Workers from some EU countries (Bulgaria and Romania) may face temporary restrictions on working in Switzerland.

Turkey

The right of Turkish nationals to move to an EU country to work depends entirely on the laws of that country.

Turkish workers who are legally employed in an EU country and who are duly registered as belonging to the labour force there have the following rights:

after one year's legal employment they are entitled to a renewal of the work permit for the same employer if a job is available
after three years' legal employment they may change employers and respond to any other offer of employment for the same occupation
after four years' legal employment they enjoy free access to any paid employment in that EU country.

Turkish nationals working legally in an EU country are also entitled to the same working conditions as the nationals of that country.

Other countries that have an agreement with the EU

Nationals of these countries, who are working legally in the European Union, are entitled to the same working conditions as the nationals of their host country:

Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia
Russia
Albania, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro;
Andorra, San Marino
79 countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States.

Countries with no agreement

For nationals of other countries – that have no agreement with the EU – the right to work in an EU country mainly depends on the laws of that country, unless they are members of an EU national's family.

However, EU rules do cover the following areas for workers from all non‑EU countries:

non-EU nationals who are long-term residents in the EU
the right to family reunification
admission for non-EU researchers
admission for students, exchange pupils, unpaid training or voluntary service
the rights of highly-skilled workers from outside the EU (EU blue card scheme).

New EU rules have been proposed on:

simplified entry procedures and rights for all non-EU migrant workers
conditions of entry and residence of seasonal workers from non-EU countries
conditions of entry and residence of non-EU nationals in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer.