The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016

“Qualified person”

6.—(1) In these Regulations—

“jobseeker” means an EEA national who satisfies conditions A, B and, where relevant, C;

“qualified person” means a person who is an EEA national and in the United Kingdom as—

(a)

a jobseeker;

(b)

a worker;

(c)

a self-employed person;

(d)

a self-sufficient person; or

(e)

a student;

“relevant period” means—

(a)

in the case of a person retaining worker status under paragraph (2)(b), a continuous period of six months;

(b)

in the case of a jobseeker, 91 days, minus the cumulative total of any days during which the person concerned previously enjoyed a right to reside as a jobseeker, not including any days prior to a continuous absence from the United Kingdom of at least 12 months.

(2) A person who is no longer working must continue to be treated as a worker provided that the person—

(a) is temporarily unable to work as the result of an illness or accident;

(b) is in duly recorded involuntary unemployment after having been employed in the United Kingdom for at least one year, provided the person—

(i) has registered as a jobseeker with the relevant employment office; and

(ii) satisfies conditions A and B;

(c) is in duly recorded involuntary unemployment after having been employed in the United Kingdom for less than one year, provided the person—

(i) has registered as a jobseeker with the relevant employment office; and

(ii) satisfies conditions A and B;

(d) is involuntarily unemployed and has embarked on vocational training; or

(e) has voluntarily ceased working and has embarked on vocational training that is related to the person’s previous employment.

(3) A person to whom paragraph (2)(c) applies may only retain worker status for a maximum of six months.

(4) A person who is no longer in self-employment continues to be treated as a self-employed person if that person is temporarily unable to engage in activities as a self-employed person as the result of an illness or accident.

(5) Condition A is that the person—

(a) entered the United Kingdom in order to seek employment; or

(b) is present in the United Kingdom seeking employment, immediately after enjoying a right to reside under sub-paragraphs (b) to (e) of the definition of qualified person in paragraph (1) (disregarding any period during which worker status was retained pursuant to paragraph (2)(b) or (c)).

(6) Condition B is that the person provides evidence of seeking employment and having a genuine chance of being engaged.

(7) A person may not retain the status of—

(a) a worker under paragraph (2)(b); or

(b) a jobseeker;

for longer than the relevant period without providing compelling evidence of continuing to seek employment and having a genuine chance of being engaged.

(8) Condition C applies where the person concerned has, previously, enjoyed a right to reside under this regulation as a result of satisfying conditions A and B—

(a) in the case of a person to whom paragraph (2)(b) or (c) applied, for at least six months; or

(b) in the case of a jobseeker, for at least 91 days in total,

unless the person concerned has, since enjoying the above right to reside, been continuously absent from the United Kingdom for at least 12 months.

(9) Condition C is that the person has had a period of absence from the United Kingdom.

(10) Where condition C applies—

(a) paragraph (7) does not apply; and

(b) condition B has effect as if “compelling” were inserted before “evidence”.