Following the publication of new Home Office data on the number of applications for settled status lodged by EU nationals, Chetal Patel has told People Management that the risk of missing the registration deadline remains an issue for many EU nationals.
The department’s latest statistics reveal how a significant number of EU citizens resident in the UK are yet to submit an application for either settled or pre-settled status. This is despite up to 2.5 million applications having been received by the Home Office, a figure which brings the total number of applications made in 2019 to 2,756,100. With up to 743,000 potential applications still to be received, the Home Office could therefore face a significant logistical challenge when they come to process a large influx of outstanding requests between now and the settled status scheme’s deadline.
Responding to these figures, Chetal explains how “there is still much work to be done, but it all depends on whether people actually apply”. She goes on to remark that “While the Home Office has actively marketed the EU Settlement Scheme and many employers have sent communications to their workforce to provide support with the process, there still remains a risk of people not registering in time.”
If you’d like to read the rest of Chetal’s thoughts on this topic, click here to read the rest of People Management’s article on the topic.