Search
Contact
Login
Share this article
IMPACT – HIGH
Prime Minister Theresa May has published a white paper in which she sets out her government’s strategy for Brexit negotiations due to start March 31, including how the U.K. will deal with European nationals currently living and working in the country.
Key Points:
The U.K. will seek to negotiate a future relationship with Europe, outside the EU and the single market. The white paper says the U.K. will be guided by 12 broad principles, including:
Background: May outlined plans for a “hard Brexit” on Jan. 17, shortly before the Supreme Court judgment that the government must obtain Parliamentary approval before invoking Article 50. While MPs voted overwhelmingly in favor of getting Brexit negotiations started, the white paper was published reluctantly following MPs’ continuing demands to be allowed to scrutinize any Brexit deal.
BAL Analysis: The white paper adds little to the statements May made on Jan. 17. EU nationals and their U.K. employers must continue to wait for real details to emerge once the Article 50 talks start in March. While the message that EU nationals in U.K. with five years continuous and lawful residence are automatically considered permanent residents may reassure some, questions still exist around how government officials are interpreting “lawful” in practice. The devolved governments in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will likely continue to lobby for greater access to the single market. BAL will continue to follow Brexit-related immigration developments and will provide regular updates to clients going forward, and understands that at this point all options for future immigration systems for EEA nationals are still on the table.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in the United Kingdom. For additional information, please contact uk@bal.com.
Copyright © 2017 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Thursday that it had received enough petitions to reach the H-2B cap for returning…
The U.S. State Department suspends visa services in Haiti. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico moves to reduce visa wait times.…
The European Council adopted a revision to the 2011 single-permit directive, paving the way for an improved single work and…
The Romanian government announced updates to its EU Blue Card regulations, as well as changes to work permits, including extending…