The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is holding a further series of webinars throughout November to help businesses understand the important actions they need to take to be ready by the end of the transition period.
The sessions follow a one-off online event held last month in a bid to get more businesses Brexit ready.
As before the next round of webinars are free and last between 45 and 90 minutes, depending on the topic. They will cover issues including conformity assessment. (See registration details below.)
While the UK technically left the European Union on 31st January 2020, an 11-month transition period means that it does not leave the EU single market and customs union until 31st December 2020.
For the next eight weeks the UK continues to trade with the rest of the world, including EU countries, as it did before Brexit. Come January, however, everything changes, although in the absence of a trading agreement with the EU and other major trading partners such as the USA, we cannot yet be sure how.
Despite this, the BEIS has issued a three-point action plan for construction companies wanting to be ready for 1st January 2021.
1. If you are planning to recruit from overseas from 1 January 2021, you will need to register as a licensed visa sponsor. If you are not already a licensed sponsor and you think you will want to sponsor migrants through the skilled worker route from January 2021, you should apply now. You may not be able to hire people legally from outside the UK unless you are a licensed sponsor.
Find out more about hiring from the EU.
2. Check the new rules on importing and exporting goods between the EU and Great Britain from 1st January 2021. (Northern Ireland is getting different rules.) Your business could face delays, disruption or administrative costs if you do not comply with new customs procedures.
Learn more about importing and exporting.
3. Check if a visa or work permit is required to travel to the EU for work purposes and apply if necessary. You may face delays or refusal at border when travelling for business if you do not comply with the immigration requirements of the EU27 when travelling from 1st January 2021.
Find out more about visas and work permits.
To register for upcoming November webinars, or to watch previous sector-specific webinars on demand, visit bit.ly/UKTwebinar
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