The clock is now ticking on EU Settlement Scheme applications – what do employers need to know?
When free movement ended for EEA and Swiss (“EEA”) nationals at the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020, EEA citizens who had entered the UK by this date were given a 6 month “grace period” until 30 June 2021 to secure their longer term residency rights by making an application under the EU Settlement Scheme (“EUSS”). The end of the grace period is now less than a month away and, not surprisingly, many employers are wondering what they can do to ensure their EEA workers continue to have the legal right to work in the UK beyond that date. In this article, we seek to address some of the common concerns and provide some practical tips on the steps employers can take in the final few weeks to protect against the risks associated with employing illegal workers.