Changes are to be put in place as of the 1st January 2014 meaning Bulgarian and Romanian Nationals will hold the same legal rights as other EU workers The time is drawing near for the change in immigration laws regarding Bulgarian and Romanian Nationals working within the UK. Though Bulgaria and Romania became part of the EU in 2007, during the 7-year changeover period nationals were qualified to relocate to the UK, though they were not allowed to obtain working status unless granted with a working permit (Accession Worker Card). Ensuring that your employees are legally aloud to work within the UK is the responsibility of the employer. “You should check and keep copies of original, acceptable documents before someone starts working for you. If a person has a time limit on their stay then you should carry out repeat checks, at least once every 12 months. If a person has a restriction on the type of work they can do or the amount of hours they can work, then you must not employ them in breach of these restrictions. You should also verify that a person has the right to work when certain documentations or scenarios are presented to you.” – Home Office – www.homeoffice.gov.uk