Following on from our last article Brexit negotiators Michel Barnier and David Davis have in principle reached an agreement in relation to the Transitional Period.
Provisionally, based on the draft Withdrawal Agreement, as anticipated in our last article, it has been agreed that the Transitional Period will only last from 29 March 2019 until 31 December 2020. Also, those EU citizens who arrive in the UK by 31 December 2020 will continue to enjoy the same freedom of movement rights as those who arrived before Brexit.
Although the Transitional Period is 3 months short of the two-years that the UK was hoping for, UK employers should have a degree of certainty in relation to the position of those EU workers arriving in the UK after 29 March 2019. The draft Withdrawal Agreement sets out that EU nationals will be required to register under new UK immigration categories as someone with Temporary or Settled Status.
Of course the position post-31 December 2020 is still under discussion and "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed". For reasons set out in our last bulletin those eligible for Permanent Residence should apply as soon as practicable.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.