London, United Kingdom. In the lead up to the Brexit, Theresa May has now put together a deal that allows millions to stay in the United Kingdom in a post Brexit Europe.
UK Prime Minister May has said “settled status” would be offered to those who had been living in Britain for at least five years. However, it is not know yet when the cut-off date would be to determine who would be eligible, according to her latest statements. EU nationals who have been in the UK for less than five years before the cut-off will have the chance to stay until they are eligible for settled status, May said.
New figures suggest a fall in eastern European workers coming to UK since Brexit vote. In return, the Prime Minister said “reciprocal” arrangements should be offered to the 900,000 British citizens living on the continent.
“No one will face a cliff edge,” she said. “The UK’s position represents a fair and serious offer, one aimed at giving as much certainty as possible to citizens who have settled in the UK, building careers and lives and contributing so much to our society.”
The cut-off date is due to be a matter of negotiation with European leaders, although is expected to be no earlier than March 2017, when the UK triggered the Article 50 process, and no later than the Brexit date of 31 March, 2019.
Immigrants arriving after then will be given a two year “grace period”, after which they will be expected to obtain a work permit or return to their home countries.
The Prime Minister could be set for a clash on enforcement of the rules however, with Brussels pressing for the European Court of Justice to oversee any agreement, while May said the rules should be enforced through the “highly-respected UK courts”.
Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, cautiously welcomed May’s offer. “This is a good start,” she said. “But of course there are many, many other questions.” Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer said the proposals had come “too little, too late”.