UK Right To Work Changes Employers Should Be Aware Of

The Home Office has updated its guide on right to work (work authorization) checks for employers in the UK.

Changes coming into effect this month include a less flexible approach to late applications to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) for Europeans and their families and a hike in penalties for illegal working.

Right to work changes for EEA citizens

As a result of Brexit and the end of free movement on December 31, 2020, eligible European Economic Area (EEA) citizens and their family members were required to apply for EUSS status before June 30, 2021, to continue legally residing in the UK. EEA citizens and their families must now possess immigration status in the same way any other foreign national should and can no longer rely on their passports or national identity cards as proof of right to work.