Brexit brings a new normal
Now in effect, people in the UK and EU will start to feel changes almost immediately
LONDON — So far, the large majority of British and EU citizens have not felt the realities of Brexit. Though the U.K. left the European Union on Jan. 31, 2019, it followed the bloc’s rules until the end of 2020 as part of a transition period to the new economic relationship.
But starting Friday, Britain embarks on its new, more distant relationship with the EU after nearly five decades of closer economic, cultural and social integration.
The change for Britain’s economy and people is the most dramatic since World War II, certainly more so than when the country joined what was then the European Economic Community in 1973.
Here are some of the changes to movement that people will start to feel
almost overnight.
What’s changing?
Even though the coronavirus pandemic has led to a collapse in the numbers of people traveling between Britain and the EU, the end of freedom of movement from Jan. 1 will represent the most tangible Brexit consequence so far.
Under the divorce deal agreed by the two sides Dec. 24, the roughly 1 million British citizens who are legal residents in the EU will have broadly the same rights as they have now. The same applies to more than 3million EU citizens living in the U.K.
But British citizens will no longer have the automatic right to live and work in the EU, and vice versa. People who want to cross the border to settle will have to follow immigration rules and face other red tape such as ensuring their qualifications are recognized.
The exception is people moving between the U.K. and Ireland, which have a separate common travel area.
Whatarethenewtravelrules?
Although traveling for holidays will remain visa-free, British nationals will only be allowed to spend 90 days out of every 180 in the EU, while the U.K. will allow European citizens to stay for up to six consecutive months.
For retired British citizens who have been used to spending more than three months at their second homes on Spain’s sun-soaked Costa del Sol, the change may come as a shock. British travelers in Europe will also have to have at least six months left on their passports and buy their own travel insurance. Britons will no longer be issued the European Health Insurance Card, whichguarantees access to medical care across the bloc, but the U.K. says it is setting up a replacement system so that U.K. visitors to the bloc andEUcitizens visiting Britain still have medical coverage.
Whataboutworking?
The end of freedom of movement will have a major impact on hiring at all ends of the labor market. A newly graduated British citizen on holiday in the Greek islands, for example, won’t be able to walk up to a beach bar and seek part-time workwithouthaving the necessary visa.
The same applies for European citizens arriving in the U.K. They won’t be able to turn up at a sandwich shop and look for work without the necessary documentation.
Larger businesses will also find it far more difficult and costly to hire people from the other side. The deal does include provisions to allow contractors and business travelers to make shortterm work trips without visas.