It’s Jan-EU-ary! Have you signposted your EU staff yet?

Given the valuable contribution your EU staff make to your business, when will you communicate with them about the EU Settlement Scheme?

All EU nationals residing in the UK ahead of 31st December 2020 will need to apply to the scheme.

With a significant number of EU nationals still uncertain about the steps they need to follow, there is no harm in raising awareness to your EU staff.

Opening a dialogue with your staff will allow you to share key information on applying to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Are you obliged to?

No. Employers are not required to check that an employee has applied to the EU Settlement Scheme.

The current ‘right to work’ checks (e.g. passport and/or national identity card) you undertake will continue to apply until the end of 2020. Furthermore, there will be no change to the rights of EU citizens living in the UK until 30 June 2021.

It is the responsibility of the individual to make an application to the EU Settlement Scheme. There is no requirement for the individual to inform you, as an employer, that they have applied or the outcome of their application.

Therefore, you could leave this matter pending in your inbox.

31st December 2020

Although EU nationals will have until 30 June 2021 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, being resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 is key.

If the government fails to secure 100% participation in the EU Settlement Scheme, many hundreds, if not thousands, of European nationals could find themselves without an authorised basis of stay in the UK.

Raising awareness will go some way to ensuring your staff are not caught out.

Smith Stone Walters

We are here to help. Aside from our video guide, we have assisted hundreds of EU citizens to apply under the EU Settlement Scheme.

We can identify current immigration issues and provide personal one-to-one support to your EU employees on their available options.

As part of this service, we have also created an online tracker to aid our clients.

Our tracker supports EU workers in filing for UK settled status. It also shows employers, at a glance, how many of their employees have fulfilled their obligations to date.

If you would like a demonstration of the EU tracker, or to discuss any other aspects of our EU immigration services, then please contact us.