New rules into effect in the UK
Around half a million Romanians in the UK have applied for a resident card in order to be allowed to further stay in Britain after December 31st 2020
Corina Cristea, 13.03.2020, 14:06
Around half a million Romanians in the UK have applied for a resident card in order to be allowed to further stay in Britain after December 31st 2020, when the transition period agreed on during the Brexit negotiations ends. The number of applications will most probably increase, because the deadline for their submission is June 30, 2021 for the Europeans who are on British soil until December 31st, 2020.
A guest on Radio Romania, the coordinator of the Consular Section of Romania’s Embassy in London, Robert Marin, who also coordinates the Brexit Department, has explained: ”For the time being, until the end of this period, they are allowed to work as before. The only condition is for the Romanian citizens to register on Britains territory with their new status, which is regulated by the Brexit accord. This means they have to go through some checks in terms of identity, current residency and legal record, and receive the status of settled if they can prove they have lived in the country for more than 5 years or receive the pre-settled status when they lived in the country less than 5 years. The latter have the possibility to convert their status from pre-settled to settled when they have exceeded 5-years of living in the UK. ”
Having postponed its exit several times, Britain left the EU at the end of January, putting an end to its 47-year membership. Along with this move, London has decided to review its standards for its potential foreign workers who do not hold the resident or pre-resident status. Thus, they will have to prove they have firm job offers.
Robert Marin explains: ”They need firm job offers from British employers. This means that European workers will no longer be allowed, after January 1st 2021, after the transition period, to enter the UK and look for a job there. They will have to prove they have a job offer before they step on Bristish soil. We must make the difference between the transition period, which is right now, and the period after this transition, which comes after January 1st, 2021. At present, during the transition period, the rights of the European citizens, including the rights of Romanian citizens and the right to work in Britain are the same as they were before, when the country was still a EU member. It means that during this transition period, all Romanian citizens in the UK, including those who come here before the end of the transition period, that is January 1st 2021, will be allowed to work and enjoy the same rights as before. ”
Alongside firm job offers, Europeans who want to live and work in the UK will also have to comply with several other criteria, such as a certain salary level and their ability to speak English. According to British Home Secretary, Priti Patel, skilled workers will be allowed to come to Britain if they are able to tot up at least 70 points, accrued via the level of salary they are offered and their abilities. However, a job offer and the ability to speak English will be mandatory for all of them. The definition of skilled workers is to be downgraded to mean anyone who has an A level-style qualification, instead of degree level now.
In terms of travel documents, after the transition period, European citizens with a settled or pre-settled status will be allowed to travel to the UK with their passport or ID card. ID cards can be further used for a 5-year period. All other categories can travel to Britain without needing a visa for a period of maximum three months.
