The UK left the
EU in January this year and the Brexit transition period will end in less than
a month on 31 December. As a result, there are guaranteed changes ahead for
businesses, including changes in the recruitment process, and there are a
number of steps you can take now to ensure you are prepared for new rules from
1 January 2021.
These changes
are happening regardless of the outcome of negotiations, so it’s advised you
familiarise yourself with what you need to do to prepare for the new rules and
start taking action now. A wealth of resources can be found on gov.uk/transition, and the Brexit transition checker tool provides a
tailored response on the actions you need to take.
Outlined below
are three main changes affecting recruitment from 1 January:
Hiring
The way you hire
from the EU is changing. From 1 January 2021, if you want to hire anyone from
outside the UK, you must be a Home Office licenced sponsor. As a sponsor, you
will be able to hire people from anywhere in the world who meet the minimum
skill, salary and language requirements to qualify for a visa. To check the new
requirements and apply for a sponsor license, go to gov.uk/HiringFromTheEU.
Earlier this
month, the Government launched a number of routes under the UK’s new
Points-Based Immigration System, including the flagship Skilled Worker route.
This means people can now start to apply for their visas. Those wanting to come
to the UK to work from 1 January 2021 will be awarded points for a job offer at
the appropriate skill level, if they speak English, and for meeting the
appropriate salary threshold. Skilled worker visas will be awarded to those who
gain enough points.
EU nationals
living in the UK before 31 December 2020 should apply for ‘settled or
pre-settled status’ through the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living and
working in the UK. They have until 30 June 2021 to apply, and employers are
encouraged to signpost their employees to the scheme.
As a transition measure, employers can continue to accept
passports and national identity cards of EU Citizens as evidence of their right
to work, up until 30 June 2021. However, some EU Citizens may choose to
evidence their right to work using digital status obtained by the Home Office,
instead of using their passport or ID card. Further information on how to
undertake an online right to work check can be found on gov.uk.
Data Protection
If you are a UK
business or organisation that receives personal data from contacts in the EU or
wider EEA, prepare now to keep data flowing lawfully from 1 January 2021. Visit GOV.UK/using-personal-data-2021
for guidance on the actions your business or organisation needs to take
regarding data protection and data flows.
Qualifications
You may need to have your UK professional qualification
officially recognised if you want to work in a profession that is regulated in
the EEA or Switzerland. It will need to be recognised by the appropriate
regulator for your profession in each country where you intend to work, and you
may need to do this even if you’re providing only temporary or occasional
professional services. In some cases, your qualification may need to be
recognised by a regional authority, rather than a national authority. For
further guidance and information on this, click here.
The post Three main changes affecting recruitment from 1st January 2021 appeared first on .