A Fifth of EU Citizens Living In Britain Plan To Leave In Next Two Years
Forty percent of EU citizens living in the UK are concerned about how Brexit will affect their jobs, according to a survey commissioned by the Financial Times.
Those in the construction, manufacturing, retail and hospitality sectors were particularly concerned for their job security, according to a study of FT readers done two months after the historic 23rd June referendum.
With Prime Minister Theresa May refusing to guarantee the residency rights of EU citizens before negotiations begin and delays occurring with applications for permanent residence Card and British Citizenship applications following unprecedented demand, it has been revealed that a fifth of EU nationals plan to leave the country in the next two years.
In a reflection of the unease caused by the Brexit vote — and a rise in “hate crime” and anti-Immigration sentiment — nearly a quarter of those polled said they no longer felt welcome in the UK. A further thirty-nine per cent are considering leaving the UK but have not fully committed to a move.
A majority of the 732 people surveyed worked in financial services, with others contributing to the fields of technology, healthcare and academia.
Within certain sectors — such as construction and manufacturing, retail and hospitality, and media and entertainment — more than half of respondents were worried about their jobs. Overall, just under half of people stated that their employer had not yet talked to them about their Immigration status following the vote to leave the EU. Thirty per cent said their bosses had not talked to them in person but had issued a broad HR statement across the organisation.
Nearly seventy per cent had taken no action to secure their Immigration status. Around fifteen percent have applied for a permanent residence Card, six percent had made an application for British Citizenship and two percent had contacted an Immigration lawyer, one of the best forms of actions to take.
Obtaining a permanent residence Card and British Citizenship is the best way for EU nationals to secure their residency status in the UK. Talking to an experienced Immigration solicitor is the first step in taking control of your right to remain in the UK, regardless of the outcome of Brexit negotiations.
OTS Solicitors is regarded as one of the best Immigration law firms in the UK. If you need advice on Asylum, refugee law or any other Immigration law matter, please phone our office on 0203 959 9123 to talk to one of our dedicated Immigration lawyers.