There has been a “large spike” in immigration law related inquiries from UK universities and colleges, who are seeking to reassure anxious staff members concerned about the impact of Brexit, an employment law expert has said.
Employees who have lived continuously in the UK for over five years may be entitled to permanent residence or full citizenship, and employers should be able to provide these workers with information about their options, he said.
“This is obviously a very upsetting time for European passport holders who have lived in the UK for many years, and clients in the university and financial services sectors are coming to us and saying ‘what can we do to assure our people’?” Smith said.
“Universities and other employers can go some way to reassure employees that they are doing their best to protect their interests, by giving them the information needed to make potentially life-changing decisions rather than leave them to seek individual advice,” he said.
To date, Pinsent Masons has been enlisted to offer advice on protecting the position of academic staff by three different UK universities, while eight other institutions have also sought immigration-related advice.
The EU Treaty gives employees the right to seek permanent residence if they have lived continuously in the UK for at least five years. They may also qualify for UK citizenship after a six-year period. However, citizenship “might not suit everyone” and could create issues with employees’ respective home nations, he said.
Employees who had not sought permanent residence status could run into problems post-Brexit, depending on the outcome of the negotiations, Smith said.
André Beukes is an EU Management Consultant to international companies doing business in Europe. He provides clients with practical business support that makes a real difference doing business in the EU. “Put simply, I am here to help you meet your challenges. I believe in the importance of doing things correctly, meaning risks are reduced and problems are avoided.”
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