Hiring Employees from the EU in 2021

Previous rules relating to the free movement of EU citizens now no longer apply and, from the 1^st January 2021, a new points-based immigration system is in place for people arriving in the UK. All EU citizens moving to the UK to work after this date will be required to get a visa in advance.

EU citizens who were already living in the UK before this date will need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021.

Those EU citizens who wish to live and work in the UK will have to follow the new points-based immigration system in which they will require 70 points to qualify for a visa. There are minimum requirements and extra points available, but how does this system work and how do you get awarded these points?

The required minimum items will guarantee 50 points which must be complemented by any of the ‘extra points’ available.

Online applications have already started and, in addition to the application fee, which is between £610 and £1,480 per person, migrant jobseekers will also have to pay a health surcharge of £624 per person.

This new point-based system is how the UK plans on regulating immigration, however the processing time for the visas is not yet clear as this scheme is brand new.

 Carrying Out EU Right To Work Checks

You’ll need to check a job applicant’s right to work in the same way as you already did – with their passport or national identity card. This will not change until 30 June 2021. After this date, the new immigration rules will apply and employers will need to have a sponsor license to hire most workers from outside the UK.

For further information relating to the new points-based immigration system for EU citizens, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-uks-points-based-immigration-system-information-for-eu-citizens

For further information relating to the recruitment of EU workers after the 31^st December, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/recruiting-people-from-outside-the-uk-from-1-january-2021