UK has extended the existing restrictions for Romanian and Bulgarian workers on its labor market until end-2013, according to the UK Immigration Minister Damian Green. Romanians and Bulgarians who want to work in the UK will continue to need permission from the UK Border Agency before starting to work in the country.

“Maintaining these controls will make sure migration benefits the UK and does not adversely impact on our labor market,” said Damian Green. “The Migration Advisory Committee has made a clear case for extending the existing restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians. This government has also made clear that we will always introduce transitional controls on all new EU member states as a matter of course,” he added.

Permission to work will normally be given only where the worker has a specific job offer and the work is in skilled employment for which the employer has been unable to find a suitably qualified resident worker. On the quota-based arrangements for lower skilled jobs in the agricultural and food processing sectors which, they will stay at the same level for 2012 and 2013.

However, this extension of the restriction does not affect the Romanian and Bulgarian people already working in UK. Moreover, the workers from Romania and Bulgaria may also take part in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS).

The transitional restrictions started in January 2007.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Sxc.hu)