Your business and Brexit

The UK has now left the EU. Therefore, businesses employing foreign nationals are now in a period of transition and need to implement Brexit planning to ensure they are ready for 1 January 2021. Whilst many new processes and legislations are still a work in progress, it is important that businesses prepare as much as possible, within current guidelines, to be ready for 2021.

In short, this could include obtaining permission to work in the UK, applying to the EU settlement scheme and/or applying for an employer’s sponsor license. 

We want to assure you that K2 have a dedicated immigration team who are here to help your business through this process every step of the way.
 

Simplifying the process, ensuring everything is covered

Operating globally means that your employees often need to undertake regular business travel. The frequency of visits and length of time spent at different countries necessitate important immigration service planning. It is vital to ensure you do not find your employees on the wrong side of the new immigration rules which can run the risk of costly financial penalties, as well as reputational damage and loss of productivity.

Now, with Brexit, even more careful planning is required to ensure accurate execution, especially as these are somewhat uncharted waters for immigration. Our aim is to reduce the burden on you and take on the complexity on your behalf, simplifying the process by providing comprehensive guidance throughout.
 

Preparation: obtaining permission to work

Employers should be aware that EU nationals coming to work in the UK from 1 January 2021 will require permission to work under the new immigration system that comes into force from that date. EU employees already in the UK or coming to the UK before 31 December 2020 will be able to take advantage of the free-to-apply EU Settlement Scheme. A successful application will allow the employee to live and work in the UK for a temporary five year period or permanently, dependent on their application qualifying criteria. 

K2 can provide guidance and assistance throughout the application process.

What you need to be doing now

It is vital that employers review their HR records to ensure their EU employees register to the scheme before 30 June 2021.

Guiding you through the EU Settlement Scheme

If you have employees that are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen living in the UK before the end of 31 December 2020, they and their families can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after this date. Following a successful application, they will receive settled or pre-settled status.

Please be aware that they must arrive in the UK by 31 December 2020 to be eligible — if they arrive after this date, they will not be eligible and will need to apply for immigration permission under the relevant category at that time.

K2 can help to simply assess whether your employees are eligible to apply to the scheme and provide further details on the application process and be on hand to help you guide your employees throughout.

Read more about the difference between settled or pre-settled status in our latest FAQ.

British nationals in the EU

Even if the Brexit deal is not finally completed, it is important for companies and individuals to prepare for new immigration requirements. Each EU country will be putting in place different processes and requirements for British nationals who wants to continue to reside in the respective country. This is commonly referred to as ‘the settlement process’, which will have a deadline to be completed.

Compliance in regards to the settlement process is important from both a personal and corporate perspective. For private individuals it is required to be able to retain residence and work rights. From a corporate perspective it is important to ensure that all employees have valid work rights. If the transition is not planned carefully and companies do not have full insight into their employee population, it could lead to breaches of employment law.

We’re here to help

So, whether you just need support with visa applications or a more comprehensive service covering immigration consultancy or the processes relating to document procurement, legalisation and attestation, we’re here to help.
 
You can contact us using the form below.