Employment and Immigration Law Update – EU Settlement Scheme, an update
26 November 2019
Many EEA nationals will be delighted to hear that the EU Exit ID document check app is now finally available for iPhone as well as Android. The new version of the app is designed to work on iPhone models 7 and above.
As we approached a potential no-deal Brexit on 31 October 2019, the number of applications soared, with over 590,300 applications being submitted in October alone, taking the total number of applications submitted up to 31 October 2019 to 2,450,500. However, there is a difference between the number of applications and the number of individual applicants, as some people may need to apply more than once.
The highest number of applications has been made by Polish, Romanian, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese nationals, with these countries together representing 60% of all applications received.
Within the East of England, the highest numbers of applications have been made in Luton and Peterborough, followed by Cambridge and Bedford.
Of the 1,925,300 applications that had been decided by the end of October, four had been refused, 60% were granted settled status and 40% pre-settled.
As the system comes under more pressure, there are now over 525,200 pending applications awaiting a decision. Inevitably the time taken to get a decision is starting to increase. We are aware that applications for different family members are not necessarily being decided at the same time. In particular, applications by third country national family members are taking longer.
As a reminder, EEA citizens and their family members have until at least 31 December 2020 to apply, even if there is a no-deal Brexit.
This article is from the November 2019 issue of Employment and Immigration Law Update, our monthly newsletter for HR professionals. To download the latest issue, please visit the newsletter section of our website. For more details regarding any of the matters covered in this update, please contact a member of our Immigration Team. Law covered as at November 2019.
The content of this article is for general information only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. If you require any further information in relation to this article please contact the author in the first instance. Law covered as at November 2019.