Encouraging EU workers to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme

As part of the changes resulting from the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, EU, EEA or Swiss citizens and their family members who are living on the UK before 1 January 2021 need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021.

If you have any staff within your school who are EU nationals, then they will need to apply to the Scheme before the deadline of 30 June 2021.

At this stage we recommend schools engage with any EU staff to promote their ongoing commitment and support, whilst encouraging them to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme as soon as possible. This should be handled in a sensitive and positive manner.  There is no requirement for employers to do retrospective checks so please be careful not to demand to see evidence or to require staff who are EU citizens to inform you if they have applied yet.

A range of support is available online, by email and over the telephone to help EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members to apply:

• The EUSettlement Resolution Centre continues to provide support seven days a week by telephone and by email.
• People can use the EUExit: ID Document Check app available on iPhone and on Android to complete the identity stage of their application. A postal route is also available.
• Assisted Digitaloffers additional support for those who do not have the appropriate access, skills or confidence to apply online.
• Communication materialsare also available in 26 EU languages.

A toolkit for employers is available on the Government's EU Settlement Scheme: employer toolkit web page.

Prepare for the new immigration system – recruiting teachers and other skilled workers from overseas

The new points-based immigration system will apply to all overseas nationals who arrive in the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 2021. These overseas nationals, including those from the European Economic Area and Switzerland, will need to apply for a visa.

Schools and other employers may need to prepare for this change by becoming visa sponsors if they want to recruit teachers or other skilled workers who are not UK or Irish nationals. If you’re already a licensed Tier 2 (General) visa sponsor, you’ll be automatically granted a new Skilled Worker licence.

To help schools prepare for the new immigration system, the Department for Education have published guidance about recruiting teachers from overseas.

Further information on the points-based immigration system can be found in the guidance on the new immigration system: what you need to know