Working in another EU country

If you are a citizen of the European Union (EU), you have the right to live and work in any other EU country. In general, you and your dependents cannot be refused permission to land in another EU country. You may need a valid identity card or passport. If your family are not citizens of the EU or EEA, they may need a visa before travelling. You may be refused entry, and/or your right of residence in another member state may be restricted on grounds of public policy, public security or public health.

If you are an EU citizen moving to another EU country to take up employment or self-employment or to provide a service, EU Directives on the free movement of workers cover you. Members of your family, whatever their nationality, have the right to accompany you or to join you in your country of employment.

CAN I ACCESS EMPLOYMENT IN ANOTHER EU COUNTRY?

You can work under the same conditions as citizens of the country where you are looking for work. You cannot be asked to meet any additional requirements. This means that you can apply for any job vacancy advertised in any EU country, including public sector jobs. However, certain public service posts may be restricted to citizens of a particular country if the job involves safeguarding public order or the interests of the state, for example, the armed forces and police.

WILL MY QUALIFICATIONS BE RECOGNISED?

The EU has set up systems for recognising diplomas and training so you can use your training and skills in another EU country. The basic principle is that if you are qualified to exercise a profession in your home country, you are qualified to exercise the same profession in any other EU country.

DOES THIS APPLY TO PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS?

A general system of recognition of qualifications to work in most regulated professions is in place across the EU. If you wish to work in a profession (as a teacher, lawyer, engineer or psychologist, for example) that is regulated in the country of employment, you must apply for recognition of your qualifications in that country. The authorities have 4 months in which to reply. If they consider that your training is significantly different in terms of duration or content from the training in the host country, you may be asked to get either additional professional experience, or to take a training course or to take an aptitude test.

If you are a doctor, a general nurse, a dentist, a midwife, a vet, a pharmacist or an architect, your national qualifications are in principle recognised automatically.

If your profession is not regulated in the country in which you wish to work, formal recognition of your qualifications is not needed.

HOW CAN I FIND EMPLOYMENT IN ANOTHER EU COUNTRY?

The EURES network was established by the European Commission to help European citizens looking for work in another country in the EU/ EEA. EURES has a network of advisers, known as EURES advisers, who can give you general practical information on legislation, social security, living conditions, useful addresses, information on pay levels, taxes, contracts, recruitment practices, and other information.

EURES advisors have access to the EURES job vacancies database with vacancies in the EU/EEA. If you are interested in working or seeking work within the EU/EEA, you should make an appointment with your nearest EURES advisor. Contact your nearest employment services office or Intreo centre for more information.

You can also access the EURES job vacancies database yourself from the EURES site. Each vacancy in the database is provided with contact details at the bottom of the page.

IF I AM UNEMPLOYED, CAN I MOVE TO ANOTHER EU COUNTRY TO SEEK WORK?

If you are unemployed, you have the right to live in another EU country for a “reasonable period” of time in order to look for a job. In the absence of a definition of “reasonable period”, most EU countries are now operating a 6-month period, though some EU countries are still operating a 3-month period.

However, no matter how long it takes you to find a job, you cannot be asked to leave the country if you can prove that you are genuinely looking for a job and that you have a real chance of finding one. For example, if you still have interviews or tests to attend.

You can register at employment agencies and centres without being resident in the country in which you wish to work and you will be given the same help to find work as nationals of that country.

IF I AM IN RECEIPT OF JOBSEEKERS BENEFIT CAN I TRANSFER IT TO ANOTHER EU COUNTRY?

If you are getting unemployment benefit in one member state, you may continue to get the payment from that same country for up to 13 weeks after you move to another member state. You must have been getting the payment for at least 4 weeks before you can transfer it to another country.

If you apply to transfer your benefit it will be paid directly to you. You must still register with the employment services of the country where you have gone to look for work within a week. Also you may transfer your benefit more than once while you are unemployed provided you do not exceed the maximum period of 13 weeks. If you do not find work, you must return to the first country within 3 months, otherwise you lose your right to unemployment benefit.

If you are leaving Ireland to move to Northern Ireland or Britain your Social Welfare Local Office will issue you with the Form U2 (formerly Form E303) which you take to the UK social services. If you are moving to another EU country, the Department of Social Protection will send the U2 form to your new address in that EU country.

HOW DOES WORKING IN ANOTHER EU COUNTRY IMPACT ON MY EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS?

All EU nationals working in another EU country have the right to live there. You do not need a residence permit. You have the same working conditions as citizens of the country you are working in, including pay, dismissal, hours of work, discrimination, maternity leave and health and safety at work.

AS THE UK IS NO LONGER IN THE EU, DOES THAT IMPACT ON MY RIGHT TO SEEK WORK THERE?

If you are an Irish Citizen you can live and work in the UK under the Common Travel Area between the two countries. This is still the case after Brexit.

If you need further information about any of the issues raised here or you have other questions, call a member of the local Citizens Information team in North Cork. Phone: Fermoy 0818 07 7970 Monday and Tuesday from 9-5pm, Wednesday and Thursday from 9-1pm; Mallow 0818 07 8000 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9-5pm and Tuesday from 9-12.30pm; Mitchelstown 0818 07 8030 – calls being answered by Mallow.

Alternatively, e-mail us on fermoy@citinfo.ie and mallow@citinfo.ie or log on to www.citizensinformation.ie.