Employers to have a grace period before EU right to work checks are made

Employers will be allowed a grace period before being forced to make immigration checks, once Britain takes their leave from the EU in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Sajid Javid states we "have to be practical" in this situation and there will be a "sensible transition period" for EU citizens if an agreement could not be made. A transition period is a solution to help employers  adapt to new immigration enforcement. Nonetheless, employers will be obliged to continue taking out regular checks.

The required checks make certain that EU citizens present a passport or ID card when looking for work.  However, the Home Office has stated that "employers will not have to differentiate between resident EU citizens and those who arrive after Brexit".

 In a recent interview, the Labour MP Yvette Cooper at the select committee meeting disclosed fresh information. She indicated that after March next year, employers will have to make sure they go through the adequately rigorous checks to evidence somebody’s right to work.”

 Unions such as the British Chambers of Commerce, trade unions and the Confederation of British Industry have yet to be given any clear guidance on the issue moving forward.

 This statement has caused controversy and the shadow immigration minister, Afzal Khan wrote to Nokes demanding that she should return to parliament and set the record straight. Khan stated that Nokes lacked a basic understanding of the immigration policy and “raised the prospect of widespread discrimination against 3 million Europeans”.

 One of the biggest issues that came out of the statement was that EU citizens in the UK do not have any means of proving that they have the right to work in the UK. This being due to Britain having no registration requirement upon arrival.

 The Home Office has set the record straight, indicating that they will protect the rights of EU citizens in a deal or no deal scenario.