Living in Great Britain, tens of thousands of EU citizens are at risk

In 2 weeks, hundreds of thousands of European citizens will find themselves in a “legal limbo” and without the right to reside England, Even if they have lived in the country for decades. This emerges from the study “The You Settlement Scheme” published on June 30 by the Think Tank in Europe, which will be replaced by UK experts and academics on June 30. Solution level Or residence permit after Brexit.

More than 5.6 million questions

The government says the registration system for European citizens has been a huge success. Of course it was: more than 5.6 million people applied, more than expected, and most applications were accepted. Anyone who can prove that they have lived in Great Britain for at least 5 years has immigration status Right to permanent residence, Those who arrived 5 years ago may ask for a waiting room Pre-immigration status. In recent weeks, as is often the case, there has been a rush to register at the last minute. The Italian consulate and embassy and other EU countries have done everything possible to warn and encourage citizens to apply.

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Fight against time

However, many are unable to register in a timely manner because the Interior Ministry is struggling to manage the size of the applications. So on the morning of July 1, tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of EU citizens – explains Catherine Bernard, Professor of European Law at the University of Cambridge and Editor – in – Chief of the study – will lose their right to residency immediately and irrevocably, will be considered undocumented, subjected to hostile circumstances and are at risk of deportation. The so-called “hostile environment” is Theresa’s strict immigration policy May When he was home minister.
There are numerous problems with the registration system, the study points out. First, there is no reliable information on how many EU citizens actually live in Great Britain because they were not considered “foreign” when they left and were not counted.
Also, this system works well for smartphone owners and those who know how to use the computer, but for those who are less familiar with the internet it is difficult. Only 2% of residency applications were made by people over 65: a very low percentage, indicating that many seniors are unaware of the program.

Problems for unskilled workers

The study found that many unskilled agricultural and food workers and maintenance workers have a similar situation. Thousands of children are at risk, and their parents did not apply for them – because they could understand but misunderstood – they thought it was not necessary because they were born and raised in the UK. The report argues that even the lucky ones who already have the right to reside will remain second-class citizens. National As far as their nationality is concerned – Bernard concludes – if they want to work, they have to rent an apartment and prove their right to reside if they can access public services. The government must ensure that check holders understand the rights granted to them Solution level Avoid forms of discrimination. I hope you will prove pragmatism and flexibility.