Guidance on the implications of Brexit for EU staff members

It means that the UK will leave the EU with a ‘deal’ on 31 January 2020. This will invoke a transition period during which the UK will remain subject to EU law, which is expected to last until at least 31 December 2020. Until this date, there will be no change to the UK’s immigration system in respect of EU/EEA/Swiss nationals, and free movement to the UK will continue during this period.

The definition of ‘EU national’ includes all of the following nationalities: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The current position is that there will be no change to the rights and status of EU citizens living in the UK and you do not have to apply for anything now. You and your family can apply for ‘Settled Status’ at any point up to Wednesday 30 June 2021 to continue living in the UK after the end of the transition period in December 2020. Applicants who have been resident in the UK for less than five years when they apply will be granted Pre-Settled status and will later apply for Settled Status without having to pay a fee.

Yes. For EU nationals who were resident before the exit date (31 January 2020), your residency rights remain unchanged and you can continue to work at the University without restriction.

You must apply for either ‘pre-settled’ or ‘settled’ status, through the EU Settlement Status scheme, before 31 December 2020. The EU Settlement Status scheme is live and open for applications, which are now free of charge.

If you are currently employed by the University and working abroad, but were resident in the UK before 31 January 2020, you will still be able to apply for either pre-settled or settled status provided you have not been absent for more than five years continuously (for any reason) and return to the UK before 31 December 2020.

Further guidance on the EU Settlement Status scheme, which also encompasses guidance for your family members, is available on the government webpages https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/applying-for-settled-status

No. For EU nationals arriving in the UK between 31 January 2020 to 31 December 2020 will be able to enter the UK and are eligible to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme on the same basis as those arriving before 31 January 2020.

Further guidance on the EU Settlement Status scheme, which also encompasses guidance for your family members, is available on the government webpages https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/applying-for-settled-status

Guidance is available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-belgium#eu-exit-what-you-need-to-know

The Common Travel Area arrangements mean that, in any EU Exit scenario, British and Irish citizens will continue to have the right to move freely between the UK and Ireland after the UK leaves the EU. Read more here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-travel-area-guidance?utm_campaign=cta&utm_source=gcs-local-wales&utm_medium=social

FAQs for students

AU employees can access personal support from the University’s Employee Assistance Programme which can be found at https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/hr/employment-information/eap/  on a confidential basis. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year for staff.