RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

The following rules have been applied by the Home Office to Romanians and Bulgarians seeking to work in Britain after Jan 1:

Visitors: visas will not be required, simply a passport or national identity card. Visitors can stay for three months without working, or indefinitely if they are entirely self-sufficient. It is unlikely passports will be stamped.

Low skilled workers: a combined maximum total of 20,000 a year will be permitted to work in seasonal agricultural work and food processing, hired by government-approved firms

Skilled workers: required to apply for an "accession worker card", effectively a work permit, for jobs where no suitable UK applicants can be found. They will only be able to apply as on Jan 1.

Highly skilled workers: admitted as they are now under the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme. This a points system for doctors, IT specialists and other in-demand sectors.

Self-employed: anyone can enter the UK and begin to work as a self-employed person. They will only have to prove they are self-employed if challenged by the Inland Revenue. This area is of concern to those fearful of a large number of migrant workers arriving in Britain.

Students: similar rules apply as now. They can study in the UK and seek part-time employment, but require a work authorisation document.

Bulgaria

Population: 7.7 million (includes 720,000 ethnic Turks and 350,000 Gypsies/Roma)
Capital: Sofia
Area: 42,822 sq miles
GDP per capita: £5,000
Unemployment: 11.5 per cent
Monthly wages: Doctor: £150-£1,000; nurse: £100-£300; skilled tradesman: £200-£500; unskilled labourer: £80-£150

Romania

Population: 22.3 million (includes 1.4 million Hungarians and up to five million Gypsies/Roma)
Capital: Bucharest
Area: 91,699 sq miles
GDP per capita: £4,100
Unemployment: 5.9 per cent
Monthly wages: Nurse: £130-£260; senior teacher: £288; factory worker: £80; minimum wage: £67