Brexit’s Impact On Employment In The UK: One Year On

One year on from the end of the transition period, the impact of Brexit on Northern Irish businesses is still to be determined. However, many UK companies predict soaring costs due to Brexit with, two-thirds of firms stating that Brexit had moderately or significantly hampered their business (Guardian, 2022). Also, a joint PWC senior executive survey found that Brexit disruption remains among the top concerns facing industry bosses for the year ahead (PWC, 2022). These changes will keep impacting how we attract and retain our valued personnel. This is why it is now more crucial than ever for businesses to act to ensure that they can attract the best talent while remaining legally compliant.

 

Northern Ireland continues to be in a unique position because we are the only part of the UK with a land border with an EU member country. So far, the EU settlement scheme and frontier worker scheme have been a lifeline for many employers allowing them to continue to employ people who live in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland but do not have the UK or Irish passport. 

 

It is the responsibility of companies to ensure that the proper checks are done to ensure that persons under their employment have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom. This may be done through the EU settlement scheme or the new points-based immigration system, which would require employers to hold a sponsor licence.

 

A welcomed change in 2022 is the Home Office online Right to Work check service, which will allow employers to carry out an online check for individuals holding a Biometric Residence Card (BRC), Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), or Frontier Worker Permit (FWP).

 

Also, the temporary adjustments to Right to Work checks have been extended to 6th April 2022. This may be extended further but any announcement may depend on the readiness of an online tool that the government is currently developing for Right to Work checks, including for UK and Irish citizens.

 

If you would like to learn more about Post-Brexit Employment and Immigration, register for our upcoming webinar on Thursday, 27th January 2022. At the session, Emmet Owens, Senior Consultant, Think People, and Lisa Bryson, Partner and Employment Lawyer from Eversheds Sutherland, will be discussing the legal and practical considerations relating to:

• The new points-based immigration system
• The EU settlement scheme and right to work checks
• Administrative changes
• Sponsor licences

 

You can register for the webinar using this link – https://www.thinkpeople.co.uk/events/