This section covers the following key areas. Click on a heading below to navigate to that area, you can return to the main menu at any time.

Employing EU Citizens in the UK after Brexit

Employing EU citizens to work in the UK after Brexit requires you to check on an applicant’s right to work here. Up until 30 June 2021 you will follow the existing practice of requiring each individual to prove their right to work by producing their passports / national identity card and using the online right to work checking service. Visit the Government's Right to Work Checking Service page for more details.

Employer Sponsors

A new immigration system will apply to people arriving in the UK from 1 January 2021 and EU citizens moving to the UK to work will need a visa in advance, with applicants requiring a job offer from an approved employer sponsor. If you are an employer planning to sponsor skilled migrants from 2021 and are not currently an approved sponsor, you should consider getting approved now. You can find more information on the UK’s new points-based immigration system on the Government's website.

Seasonal Agricultural Workers

To date there is no word about relaxation of these rules to provide for seasonal agricultural workers, but there remains hope that the Seasonal Workers Pilot will continue in some form to support supply of workers for the UK’s peak growing season.

Information for your employees - EU Settlement Scheme

The EU settlement scheme was set up in 2019 as a scheme to process the residency of EU, non-EU EEA and Swiss citizens working in the UK before the end of the transition period. Eligible employees (and their eligible family members) can apply to the scheme to ensure their residence is protected after the transition period ends on 31 December 2020. 

You may want to share information with your employees about the EU Settlement Scheme using the government’s employer toolkit, to help protect your employees and their eligible family members.

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