The Isle of Man, as well as the Channel Islands, is not part of the United Kingdom. The Islands are officially self-governing dependencies of the British Crown with their own independent jurisdictions. The Isle of Man has its own immigration system which is independent of the Home Office and the Secretary of State for the Home Department. Residents of the Isle of Man are nevertheless British citizens, although their passports look slightly different from the UK passports.
The Isle of Man Immigration Service are the regulator for immigration and work permits on the Isle of Man. The right to work granted by the Isle of Man Immigration Service is not valid for the United Kingdom, and indefinite leave to remain to which the worker is entitled after five years of residence is similarly only valid for the Isle of Man. An exception is made for EU nationals whose work permits and settlement documents are valid in the UK due to a special agreement between the UK and the EU.
Since the Isle of Man is within the common travel area those who hold a visa to the Isle of Man can travel to the UK in the same way as the UK visa holders can travel freely within the common travel area, which includes all of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Travelling freely does not include the right to take up employment. Thus, the right to work in the UK does not extend to the right to work in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, and similarly, the right to work on the Isle of Man does not extend to the United Kingdom.
Contrary to what many employers may think, the holder of indefinite leave to remain on the Isle of Man does not have the right to work in the UK.
However, once the holder of a Manx indefinite leave to remain becomes a British citizen, they acquire the right of abode and the right to work in the United Kingdom.
In the alternative, an application can be made for a Skilled Worker visa in parallel with the permanent status on the Isle of Man but this will prevent the worker from applying for British citizenship because the citizenship application requires that the applicant is free from immigration control. It is therefore a much better option to make an application for naturalisation before considering relocating to the UK.
British passports for the residents of the Isle of Man are issued by the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man on behalf of the Queen. These passports are not embossed with the words United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland but instead feature the words British Islands: Isle of Man. They are valid British passports and can be used as proof of the right to work in the UK. Conversely, a UK passport does not allow the holder to take up a job or set up a business in the Crown dependencies. Contrary to what many may think, UK citizens do need work permits for the Isle of Man until they become residents which normally happens after five years.
Originally published by 18 November 2021
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