Brexit: Can I live and work in the EU, or study on the Erasmus scheme?
- Published
There are big changes for UK nationals wishing to live, work or study in the European Union.
That's because Brexit finally came into force at the start of the year.
Can I move to an EU country to live or work?
UK citizens no longer have an automatic right to live or work in the EU, so you will need to check an individual country's immigration rules, external.
If you moved to an EU member state before 31 December 2020, you can carry on living and working there. But you must register as a resident in the country where you live by 30 June 2021, external.
If you have any professional qualifications in the UK, you will also want to check whether they are recognised.
You might be able to apply for an EU Blue Card, which gives highly qualified workers, external the right to live and work in an EU country.
UK and Irish citizens can continue to live, work and move freely between the Republic of Ireland and the UK, external, as well as access free health services and social welfare benefits.
Can I get a summer job in an EU country?
Coronavirus means it is uncertain whether travel abroad this summer will be possible. It may also mean fewer businesses looking for summer workers.
If travel is possible, temporary workers also have to check the rules for the country where they hope to work. For example:
Spain requires a work and residence permit and visa, external and a guarantee the employer will cover accommodation and travel costs
France has a seasonal worker permit, external for up to six months and you will also need a long stay visa
In Croatia you'll need residence and work permits, external and there is an limit on the number of foreign nationals who can work
Italy also has an annual quota system, external and you'll need authorisation to work and a seasonal work visa
Seasonal workers from non-EU countries may not be employed in Germany, external.
The UK has said it hopes to negotiate a youth mobility scheme with the EU or individual countries. These could be similar to schemes which help young people who want temporary work in countries such as New Zealand, external and Japan, external.
Will I be able to study in an EU country?
Many UK students attending European universities have done so through Erasmus, an EU scheme. The UK is no longer participating, although students in Northern Ireland will still have access.
The UK government has said there will be a new scheme for students to go around the world, called the Turing Scheme, external, which will start in September 2021.
The scheme will get £100m of funding and allow 35,000 UK students to work or study overseas, but no further details have been released.
If you're a UK national already studying in the EU, you should continue to be treated the same as students from that country, external and other EU students in terms of fees and any financial support. But you will need to make sure you meet all visa requirements.
If you're starting a course from January at an EU university, you should contact them to see whether arrangements have changed, external.
In future, UK students will be treated like any other non-EU students. This could mean higher tuition fees in some countries.
You should also think about whether you have enough healthcare and travel insurance.
Brexit will not affect a UK national who plans to study in the Republic of Ireland, external.
Can I go on holiday or visit my second home?
You can still travel from the UK to EU countries as long as your visit is no longer than 90 days in any 180-day period. Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania are the exceptions. You could make a 90-day trip to any of them and still not use up your 90-day allowance for other EU countries.
Any visit longer than that will mean applying to individual countries for a visa.
These rules will apply regardless of the kind of holiday - including visiting a second home.
From 2022, UK nationals will have to pay for a visa-waiver scheme in order to visit many European countries.
Can I retire to an EU country?
Yes - if you were already living in an EU country by the end of 2020 and register as a resident there by 30 June 2021, external.
If you are not yet living in the country you wish to retire to, things get more complicated. Without a visa, you will be able to visit, but only for 90 days in any rolling 180-day period.
To stay for longer, you will need a visa. You are likely to need to give details including your financial situation and health insurance.
You will also want to keep up to date on guidance, external on pensions and benefits for UK nationals moving to the EU.