Since Brexit, EU citizens need a visa to work in the UK unless they have status under the EU Settlement Scheme – Irish citizens are the exception. The National Living Wage is £12.71 an hour from April 2026, and a Skilled Worker visa usually requires a salary of at least £41,700. Find out where to look for a job, how to apply and which visa routes are open to you.
Unless you have settled or pre-settled status (or are Irish), as an EU student you come to the UK on a Student visa like everyone else (application fee £558). The work rules for Student visa holders:
Internships: if you do real work as an intern, you count as a “worker” and must get at least the minimum wage. Exceptions: internships of less than a year that are a required part of a UK further or higher education course, pure work shadowing and voluntary work for charities. As a visitor you cannot do any paid or unpaid work, work placement or internship.
Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in the United Kingdom – practical information.
Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.
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