The EU Settlement Scheme

The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, now in place, means change. It will require adapting to new rules on people. This information will introduce the EU Settlement Scheme with key information for both employers and employees.

The EU Settlement Scheme (Late Applications)

  • The deadline for applying to the EU Settlement Scheme for most people was 30 June 2021, however, you can still apply if that deadline did not apply to you, or you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for not applying by the deadline.
  • Employers who are based in Ireland should note that any of their EEA national employees, who live in Northern Ireland, must make an application under the EU Settlement Scheme if that person wants to obtain proof of their right to reside in the UK.
  • Employers who are based in Ireland should note that any of their EEA national employees, who live in Northern Ireland, must make an application under the EU Settlement Scheme if that person wants to obtain proof of their right to reside in the UK.

Employer Information: Know Your Workforce

Employers should focus on understanding their workforce – its makeup, needs and vulnerabilities.

  • How many EEA nationals (who are not Irish) are in your workforce?
  • What is the risk of your affected employees not making an application under the EU Settlement Scheme, and how does that impact on the organisation? e.g. What is the potential cost of a loss of production if your employees do not make an application under the scheme and are unable to work for you as a result?
  • What can you do to reassure the affected staff? For example, can you provide information sessions on the EU Settlement Scheme or assistance with applications?
  • What strategy will you adopt to assist your affected employees?
  • Is the business trained and resourced to cope with Brexit related challenges? (e.g. Are there sufficient resources in place to conduct a potentially increasing number of Right to Work checks? Are the skills and resources in place to apply for visas and to comply with sponsor requirements in the post-Brexit immigration system?)
  • Do you need to recruit/attain specialist support to assist affected employees? (e.g. Do you need external assistance to provide legal/immigration advice with EU Settlement Scheme applications or visas in the post-Brexit immigration system?)
  • What impact will the post-Brexit immigration system have on your ability to recruit staff?
  • What is the impact on your staff travelling from the UK to the EU?

Employee Information 

There are a number of guides online on how to complete an application under the EU Settlement Scheme.

We have provided a guide by CJ McKinney, from the “Free Movement” website:

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