About the project
The project is a collaboration between Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and Queen's University Belfast (QUB). The research is funded by the North-South Research Programme. Further details about the programme and the funding body can be found here.
The project aims to provide a detailed analysis of the experiences, intentions and strategies of EU nationals and employers in Ireland and Northern Ireland, who have been impacted by the UK’s change in immigration policy precipitated by Brexit.
The research project has received ethical approval from the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work (QUB) and the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and the Social Sciences (TCD).
Project background
On 1 January 2021, as part of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, commonly known as Brexit, free movement rights ended for EU nationals travelling to the UK including Northern Ireland. Under the Common Travel Area between the UK and Ireland, citizens of both jurisdictions are allowed to live, work and move freely, a privilege that continues to be protected regardless of Brexit. However, those without British or Irish citizenship are in a different situation. Those EU nationals already living in the UK including Northern Ireland are required to apply for settlement status which depending on the length of time already spent in the UK can confer the right to stay and work (Home Office 2021). As part of post Brexit arrangements, ‘new’ EU nationals will be subject to a new points-based immigration system.
Migrant perspectives
What are the experiences of EU nationals in Ireland and Northern Ireland with regard to employment, mobility, welfare rights, and job security in the post Brexit landscape? A core focus of the research will be the relationship between national employment systems and immigration, in particular, EU migrants’ perceptions and experiences of the regulatory environment in which they work. Specifically, how does immigration policy impact migrant decisions to come, stay, or leave, and how has their real- live experience of employment changed.
Employer strategies
How are employers in Ireland and Northern Ireland navigating the post Brexit landscape with regard to recruitment, retainment and cross border mobility of EU national employees? The project will examine the skills/qualifications required by employers and the skills/qualifications available from potential EU nationals and how they are navigating the new post Brexit context.
