What are your people considerations for Brexit?

My organisation is UK-based and is planning to hire EU citizens to work in the UK.

• EU/EEA/Swiss nationals arriving newly for work in the UK will need to qualify under the points-based post-Brexit immigration system.
  
  
• Where employees work within a regulated profession requiring set qualifications, these will now need to be ‘officially recognised’ in the UK if the qualifications were not attained here. Support new hires to seek recognition from the relevant regulators prior to arrival.
  
  
• If unsure, talk to hiring managers and those with recruitment responsibilities within the organisation to see whether they have plans to hire in the near future.
  
  
• If so, do those plans include hiring EU citizens? Discuss what is the best option for filling the role – consider the options highlighted in our Preparing for Brexit through workforce planning guide. If EU hires are being considered, take action as listed above.

My organisation is UK-based and employs EU nationals based in the EU.

• Apart from the immigration aspects of the scenario, other matters including those related to taxation, will need to be considered with respect to overseas-based workers. Consult your legal advisers about your specific circumstances.
  
  
• If the EU national had previously lived in the UK and has acquired settlement status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), or has, for example, dual-British citizenship, they can return to work in the UK for short or extended periods, including indefinitely. For those with settlement status under the EUSS, note that they may lose their settled status if they spend five years or more outside of the UK.
  
  
• If the EU national does not qualify for settlement status under the EUSS and does not intend to come to live and work in the UK, consult your legal advisers to check how they may be able to remain in your employ. The situation may depend on whether your organisation has a linked entity in the EU country where they are based.
  
  
• EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who are travelling to the UK for work will now need to comply with the new business visitor rules. The UK no longer accepts national ID cards for entry to the UK for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens.  
  
  
• Where employees work within a regulated profession requiring set qualifications, these will now need to be ‘officially recognised’ in the UK if the qualifications were not attained here. Support employees to seek recognition from the relevant regulators before travelling.
  
  
• Prepare communications to let travelling staff know that entry and documentation requirements for visits to the UK will now be different and that it is critical to make the relevant preparations before travel. 

My organisation is UK-based and employs EU-based UK citizens.

• UK nationals will now require permission from the EU country in which they are based to remain and continue working, for example, via a work permit or reciprocal settlement status. Arrangements vary between EU countries. Employers should review the summary of the latest position for each member state published by the European Commission. Provide affected workers with information on the relevant arrangements for the EU country in which they are based and support them with required permission applications.
  
  
• Where employees work within a regulated profession requiring set qualifications, these now need to be ‘officially recognised’ in the EU country of work if the qualifications were not attained there. Support employees to seek recognition from the relevant regulators. 
  
  
• If unsure, first find out who are and how many affected workers you have in this category, then take action as listed above.  

My organisation is UK-based and employs UK citizens needing to travel to the EU for work.

• Employers should support UK employees to apply for relevant visas and permits in specific EU countries, even if working only for a few days. Check what the entry requirements or necessary documents are and have them ready before travelling.   
  
  
• UK nationals travelling to the EU for business meetings only will likely be able to continue as normal, but visits will be limited to 90 days in any 180-day period for the whole Schengen zone (not individual countries).
  
  
• Where employees work within a regulated profession requiring set qualifications, these now need to be ‘officially recognised’ in the EU country of work if the qualifications were not attained there. Support employees to seek recognition from the relevant regulators before travelling.
  
  
• Prepare communications to let travelling staff know that entry and documentation requirements for visits to the EU will now be different and that it is critical to make the relevant preparations before travel.

My organisation is based in Northern Ireland or Ireland, and employs workers needing to cross the border for work.

• Prepare all-staff communications to let travelling staff know they can continue to travel and work as they have been. Irish and UK citizens can travel freely between and work within both countries under the Common Travel Agreement (CTA). 
  
  
• The CTA does not apply to other EU citizens. Non-Irish EU citizens entering Northern Ireland from Ireland are now subject to the same immigration rules as would be the case for entry into other parts of the UK.
  
  
• Assure Irish citizen employees that they will not need to apply for settled status in the UK.