Bishops of England and Wales
rally to help EU citizens post Brexit
FILE PHOTO : signage is seen at the UK border control point at the arrivals area of Heathrow Airport, London |
The Bishops of England and Wales are asking the faithful to
inform their European friends and relatives about the new UK Settlement Scheme.
By Vatican News
The Church in England and Wales is rallying to help Europeans
living in the UK with regard to the procedures necessary to continue living
legally in the country.
It comes after the British government announced details of
its new controversial points-based immigration plan which will come into force
on 1 January.
By 30 June 2021, EU citizens, and those from Switzerland,
Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein residing in Great Britain will have to
register for a special platform set up by British authorities, known as the
Settlement Scheme.
It’s estimated that a quarter of those eligible have not yet
applied.
If they do not comply with the new procedure within the
deadline, they will lose their right to reside, work and access services in the
country.
For this reason, the Bishops of England and Wales are asking
the faithful to inform their European friends and relatives about the
Settlement Scheme.
Monsignor Paul McAleenan, President of the Office for
Migration Policy of the Bishops' Conference (CBCEW), says that they are
especially concerned for older and vulnerable people who may have difficulty
filling in the online form, or are not fully informed of the risks if they fail
submit the application in time.
In a letter, Mons McAleenan also invites parishes to publish
in their newsletters all the necessary information on the procedures to be
followed and the internet addresses to turn to for help.
The new points system illustrated this week by the Home
Secretary Priti Patel provides for a crackdown on immigrants with low
qualifications and limited knowledge of English.
In practice, the visa will only be granted to foreign
applicants with a minimum of 70 points, awarded only to those who have job
offers with annual salaries of over £25,000, high educational qualifications,
such as a PhD.
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