UK immigration & preparing for Brexit
Following confirmation from the UK’s Prime Minister that Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty will be triggered during the first quarter of 2017, speculation surrounding the far-reaching effects of Brexit has begun to take on a more solid form.
Triggering Article 50 will kick-start a two-year countdown within which the UK must agree on an exit deal with the European Union.
The current indication is that Britain will be going for a hard-line Brexit deal. Should this indeed become a reality, this means it is likely that the government will attempt to place restrictions on free movement immediately, to avoid a rush of entrants.
With this, there may even be a need for a more general revision of the UK’s immigration system. The need to include European nationals could affect the way in which we treat non-EEA nationals wishing to come to the UK for work, family or study purposes.
Whatever comes to pass, it is important not to underestimate the potential effects of Brexit on EEA nationals and their families. There are a number of actions which UK employers can take now in order to arm their EEA and non-EEA nationals against the potential dangers of the not so distant future.
UK employers – manage your EEA population now!
