Southampton: Moore Blatch warns firms one in 10 residents are EU nationals

Latest figures from Migration Watch show that there are 26,000 EU residents currently living in Southampton out of a population of 243,000, a ratio of just over one in 10, most of whom are of working age and employed by local businesses or working in industry based in the county. Southampton law firm Moore Blatch has thus encouraged local businesses to plan for all eventualities when making long-term recruitment plans. It has also pointed out that though EU employees who entered before the referendum date are unlikely to have problems in remaining, those who entered after 23^rd June 2016 may see some restrictions and, as a result, so may their employers.

It is possible that in future EU nationals will be subject to the points-based system currently applied to non-EU nationals.   Should this occur, the local food and drinks and agriculture sectors could be hit hard.  If free movement is to be restricted from the EU, businesses in the local area are likely to need sponsor licences to bring in skilled individuals who are not already settled workers. 

Moore Blatch thus recommends that local employers should get a sponsor licence as part of any good business planning and to allow for the recruitment of new workers. It suggests that firms should make contingency plans, audit their workforce to see who may be affected, establish channels of communication and reassure their workers that their best interests will be looked after in this uncertain period.

Katherine Maxwell, partner and head of employment law at Moore Blatch, said: “While employment law is unlikely to change much in the immediate future, the future status of EU workers is currently far from clear.”