Employing migrant workers? Key Brexit considerations for employers

With everything that’s going on at the moment, it’s no surprise that many businesses have been distracted from the other elephant in the room.

A poll during our latest employment law roadshow found that over 70% of employers at the virtual event weren’t fully prepared for the employment issues arising from Brexit and the upcoming end to the transition period.

Most attendees said their organisations were only in the early stages of planning for the end of the free movement of workers from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland coming to the UK and the impact this may have on their business. Over 50% said they had been, understandably, distracted by other pressing issues.

Are you ready for 2021 and beyond?

“With little time to go before the end of the transition period, many organisations will be feeling anxious about  the end of the free movement of workers, but there is still time for employers to act,” says employment lawyer Amy Sergison, who led the webinar: Employing migrant workers – what employers need to know.

“Hopefully the session has brought some comfort to those who didn’t feel quite as well prepared as they perhaps wanted to be, and now have a clearer idea of what’s needed and an action plan to be ready for the end of the Brexit transition period, after 31 December 2020.”

Download the webinar

For any businesses with migrant workers, our third employment law webinar is a must watch, and you can request a free download here.

What’s covered?

• An overview on the current and proposed immigration system for the UK, and changes employers need to be aware of

• EU settlement scheme applications and what employers need to consider for existing and future employees from the EEA and Switzerland

• Considerations for employers with international reach, including business visitors, frontier workers, UK employees overseas and employing international students and graduates

• How to sponsor skilled workers and/or support intra-company transfers, and what the application process and sponsorship of these migrants entails

• The impact of Brexit on right to work checks, and changes required to processes and procedures to prevent illegal working

• What employers need to be thinking about and planning for in anticipation of these changes

Amy’s top tip?

“An essential starting point for any employer looking to progress their preparations for the end of the free movement of workers from the EEA and Switzerland is to audit their existing workforce and consider their own organisation’s future recruitment needs,” adds associate Amy.

“Look at who you employ, what their needs might be and what steps you need to take to ensure your business and any migrant workers, now and in the future, are supported in the right way.

“Also give thought to your future requirements and make sure that you have the tools in place that you need to support this.  For many organisations, this is likely to include a need to sponsor skilled workers under the points based system.”

Join Muckle for more

We're putting on two more virtual roadshows - scheduled for November and free to attend. You can also catch up on our earlier shows, which focussed on COVID-19 related employment changes and more general employment law updates from the last 12 months.