Eligibility questions are the yes-or-no checks that decide whether an employer can hire you at all: Do you have the right to work here? Do you hold a valid driving licence? Are you over 18? When could you start? They feel administrative, but a vague or wrong answer can end an application faster than a weak competency answer.
The rule for all of them is the same: answer precisely, answer truthfully, and offer proof. Below is a checklist for each common question, followed by what employers in the UK, the US and the UAE are and are not allowed to ask.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change; the position described is as of November 2026. Check with the official authority in the country where the job is based.
Before any interview: your eligibility checklist
- Your current immigration or residence status where the job is, and its expiry date.
- Any driving licence you hold: issuing country, categories and expiry.
- Professional licences or registrations the role requires, and whether they are valid in the job’s country.
- Your notice period under your current contract.
- Any dates you cannot work (planned leave, exams, religious observance) in the first three months.
- Whether you can work the hours, shifts and travel the advert mentions.
Write the answers down in one place. When the question comes, you want a fact, not an estimate.
1. “Do you have the right to work in this country?”
How to answer
- If yes, say so and name the basis briefly: “Yes, I’m a citizen” or “Yes, I hold a visa that allows me to work full time until March 2028.”
- If you would need sponsorship, say so plainly: “I would need visa sponsorship for this role.” Hiding it only delays a refusal.
- If your status is changing, give the date: “My current permit allows full-time work; my renewal is under way and due in June.”
What the rules say
UK: GOV.UK states that employers must check that a job applicant is allowed to work for them in the UK before employing them, and that they must not discriminate against anyone because of where they are from. Many applicants can prove their status online with a share code, but British and Irish citizens cannot get one, so their original documents are checked instead.
US: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says most employers should not ask whether an applicant is a US citizen before making an offer. Employers may state in advance that all new hires must verify their identity and eligibility to work, and the Form I-9 process should not begin until the person has accepted the offer.
UAE: Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 says an employer may not recruit or employ a worker without first obtaining a work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. In practice that means Gulf employers routinely ask nationality and visa status early, because the employer, not you, usually applies for the permit.
2. “Do you have a valid driving licence?”
This question appears in adverts for drivers, field sales, engineers, care workers, surveyors and many site roles. It often hides three questions: do you have a licence, is it valid here, and is your record clean enough for the company’s insurer.
How to answer
- State the issuing country and category: “Yes, a full UK car licence, held for seven years, with no points.”
- If your licence is from another country, say so and explain what you have checked about using or exchanging it.
- If you are taking a test or waiting for an exchange, give the date.
- Never say yes to a licence you do not hold or that has expired. Most employers verify it before you drive a company vehicle.
How employers verify it
UK: Drivers can create a licence “check code” online, using their licence number, National Insurance number and the postcode on the licence, to share their driving record. GOV.UK says the code is valid for 21 days, so create it close to when the employer asks.
UAE: Holders of some foreign licences can exchange them for a local one. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) exchanged 58,082 foreign licences in 2025, from 57 eligible countries, according to the Dubai Media Office. The exchange requires a valid licence, attendance in person, an eye test at an approved centre and the original licence. If your country is not on the list, check the RTA’s or your emirate’s licensing authority’s current rules before you tell an employer how soon you can drive. For driving roles specifically, state your licence type and issuing country clearly on your CV; the driver resume builder page shows how a driving CV is usually laid out.
3. “Are you over 18?” and other age questions
Age questions are usually legitimate only when the job has a legal minimum age, such as serving alcohol, driving heavy vehicles or working night shifts.
- UK: GOV.UK guidance says employers can only ask for a date of birth on an application form if the person must be a certain age to do the job; otherwise it belongs on a separate equality monitoring form that the people selecting candidates should not see.
- UAE: Article 5 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 prohibits employing anyone under 15, and the law defines a person who has reached 15 but not exceeded 18 as a juvenile, a group Article 5 deals with separately.
Answer simply: “Yes, I’m over 18.” You do not need to give your exact age unless there is a reason.
4. “When could you start?” and notice-period questions
This is an eligibility question in disguise: an employer with an urgent vacancy may screen out anyone with a three-month notice period.
- Check your contract for your notice period before the interview, not after.
- Give a date range, not a vague answer: “My notice is one month, so I could start in the first week of January.”
- If you could negotiate an earlier release, say so without promising it.
- Include any travel or visa processing time if you are moving countries.
5. Professional licence and registration questions
Nurses, doctors, pharmacists, engineers, teachers and security staff often need registration with a regulator in the country where they work. Answer with the exact status: “I am registered with my home regulator, and I have started the evaluation for the local licence; my exam is booked for February.” Avoid “I’m licensed” if the licence is not valid in the job’s country. Interviewers in regulated fields can tell the difference.
6. Criminal record questions
Rules vary widely. In the UK, GOV.UK guidance says applicants do not have to disclose spent convictions and employers must treat the applicant as if the conviction had not happened, with exemptions for certain roles such as work in schools. In other countries, employers may ask for a police clearance or good-conduct certificate as part of the visa or onboarding process.
If you must disclose something, keep it short, factual and forward-looking, and check first whether you are legally required to mention it.
7. Health and physical-requirement questions
In the UK, employers can only ask about health or disability before a job offer in limited situations, for example where a necessary requirement of the job cannot be met with reasonable adjustments, or to ask whether you need help during the selection process. If a role involves lifting, night work or driving, the question may be framed as “Can you carry out the duties described, with or without adjustments?” A yes, with any adjustment you need, is a complete answer.
Questions you do not have to answer, and how to decline politely
Depending on where you are interviewing, some questions may be inappropriate or unlawful. In the UK, for example, GOV.UK says employers must not ask whether candidates are married, single or in a civil partnership, or whether they have or plan to have children. If you are asked something similar, you can redirect without confrontation:
Illustrative: “I can confirm I’m fully available for the hours and travel in the job description. Is there a particular part of the schedule you’d like me to talk through?”
Expectations differ between countries; in the Gulf, questions about family and dependants sometimes come up because they affect visa sponsorship. Decide in advance what you are comfortable sharing.
Quick reference: answers that cause problems
| Question | Weak answer | Stronger answer (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|
| Right to work | “Should be fine.” | “Yes, I hold a residence permit valid until 2028 that lets me work for any employer.” |
| Driving licence | “Yes” (when it is a foreign licence not yet exchanged) | “I hold a full licence from my home country. I’ve confirmed it is on the local exchange list, so I can convert it soon after arriving.” |
| Start date | “As soon as possible.” | “One month’s notice, so from 2 February.” |
| Professional licence | “I’m licensed.” | “Licensed at home; local application submitted, exam booked for March.” |
For more on presenting your status on paper when you apply across borders, see the international resume builder and the wider resume questions hub.
In the UAE, if you have a question about work permits or employment rights, MoHRE’s helpline is 600590000, and its labour claims line is 80084.
Frequently asked questions
Can I say yes to a driving licence question if my licence is from another country?
Say exactly what you hold: “I hold a full licence issued in [country]”. Whether it lets you drive for work where the job is depends on local rules, so check with the local licensing authority and tell the employer what you found.
Is it legal for an interviewer to ask my nationality?
It depends on the country. In the UK, employers must check right to work but must not discriminate because of where someone is from. In the US, the EEOC says most employers should not ask whether an applicant is a US citizen before making an offer. Gulf employers often ask nationality because it affects visa and work-permit processing.
What should I do if I am unsure whether I am eligible?
Say so honestly and offer to confirm by a specific date. Then check with the official authority, not a forum or an agent.
Should I put eligibility details on my CV?
A short line can help when it is a common screening question, for example “Full UK driving licence” or “Available to start with one month’s notice”. Do not include identity document numbers.
Sources
- Checking a job applicant's right to work (GOV.UK)
- Employers: preventing discrimination – Recruitment (GOV.UK)
- View or share your driving licence information (GOV.UK (DVLA))
- Pre-Employment Inquiries and Citizenship (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationship (with amendments) (UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, via u.ae)
- RTA replaces over 58,000 driving licences from 57 countries with UAE ones (Dubai Media Office)