A European work visa is an official document foreigners must have to work in one of the countries of the European Union. Unlike travel visas that are easy to obtain, work visas have many requirements and include a lengthy application process. They are difficult to obtain for citizens of countries not affiliated with the European Union, as it is EU policy to exhaust all possible job applicants from inside the Union before hiring abroad.
There are several types of work visas that one may apply for in the EU: skilled worker, unskilled worker, temporary, migrant, or working holiday. The skilled worker visa covers individuals who have a university degree or higher and are already employed in a specific professional field. The unskilled worker visa can be applied for by those who perform labor jobs, like construction, electrical wiring, or do not hold a university degree. Temporary visas may be issued to businesspersons who need to travel to an EU country for an up to three month stay for their work, while migrant visas are given to laborers who come to work for a specific harvest season. A working holiday visa may be issued to individuals who need to earn money as they travel.
For non-EU citizens, including Americans and Canadians, the skilled worker and non-skilled worker visa is the most difficult to obtain because it is the most coveted as it also gives the holder permanent residence in the country. Individuals must be sponsored by an employer in the country they want to work in to even be considered for this visa. It is also the most expensive option.
Citizens of the United States in particular find it challenging to get work visas for the European Union because America lacks reciprocal visa agreements with most of those countries. However, American students who study abroad in an EU country and graduate with a degree from an EU country can often bypass visa challenges as they are eligible for a two-year post graduate work visa.
If you are a citizen of one of the fully included European Union countries, including Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, or the United Kingdom, then you do not need to apply for a work visa to work in one of the other EU countries under the "Free Movement of Workers" agreement. Your only official documentation obligation is to register with the local police and apply for a residency permit after three months.
However, citizens of the recently added European Union members, such as Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, and the Czech Republic, do not have complete access to the "Free Movement of Workers" agreement and require a visa to work in any of the full EU member countries. Currently, each of these countries has their own treaty with the full EU members for work visa requirements, and restrictions vary from state to state.
