HR Magazine talks to Jonathan Beech
The government has launched its EU Settlement Scheme, designed to grant post-Brexit residency to EU citizens and their family members, who have until 30 June 2021 to apply.
The benefit of this scheme is that it allows employers to apply early with their workers and spread a sense of security throughout their organisation that they are making steps towards securing a future for them and their family.
However, this comes with a number of obstacles. Firstly, each applicant must hold a valid passport, and with many EU nationals relying solely on their National ID cards, this would restrict them in applying. Secondly, to start the application process, the migrant must download the Home Office app from Google Play Store or find a location (there are 13 locations) where an Android phone can be used.
Lastly, with there being a huge number of applicants looking to apply it is more than likely that the system will fall over when attempting to process the millions of applications which will undoubtedly be flooding in. However, this is one of the aims of the public test phase to combat any issues with the system prior to the nationwide launch in March 2019.
The new scheme will not backdate settled status. Currently European Economic Area (EEA) nationals who have resided in the UK for longer than five years may be eligible under certain circumstances to apply to naturalise as British citizens immediately. But under the new regime people who have lived in the UK for over six years and satisfy the other requirements will still be required to wait a year before they can apply to naturalise as a British citizen.
The new EU registration scheme allows for EU nationals to apply for settled/pre-settled status before the scheme goes live to all EU nationals on 29 March 2019.
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