Government publishes post-Brexit proposal for EU citizens living in the U.K.
Yesterday afternoon, the Government published its proposal for the future, post-Brexit status of EU citizens living in the UK.
The proposal introduces a cut-off date for residence and work rights (as well as the ability to access public funds), beyond which EU citizens will have a new ‘settled status’ and will then be able to apply for British Citizenship, provided they have resided in the U.K for 5 years leading up to the cut off date.
The Government statement proposes that the cut off date (yet to be confirmed) will not be fixed as 29 March 2017 (the day that Article 50 was triggered) or earlier, and that it will not be later than the date on which the UK leaves the EU.
The Government’s proposal includes a new measure providing that EU citizens living outside of the UK as at the cut off date will need to make an application to enter the UK under new immigration rules for EU citizens (yet to be drafted), which the Government proposes to introduce…
Remember that at this stage, the proposal is simply a proposal and it is expected that negotiations will continue between the U.K and the EU’s appointed negotiator for some time yet before the final position is confirmed.
The proposal is, nevertheless, a welcome assurance for U.K employers of the UK Government’s approach towards EU citizens, which is not as hard as some may have expected.
Further detail of the proposals can be found here.
For further information, please contact the Employment Team’s Immigration Specialist, Donna Anderson on 0191 226 3709 or donna.anderson@sintons.co.uk.
