BVA urges clarity over ‘settled status’
The BVA says the Prime Minister’s proposals fall short of providing the certainty that EU vets and vet nurses living in the UK deserve.
The BVA has called for clarity over ‘settled status’ for EU vets living in the United Kingdom.
On Thursday (22 June), Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled proposals for EU nationals who have lived in the UK for five years - up to a specific date - to be given the chance to take up ‘UK settled status’.
But the BVA says the Prime Minister’s proposals fall short of providing the certainty that EU vets and vet nurses living in the UK deserve.
“The veterinary profession is relatively small, so the loss of even a small percentage of the workforce would have a significant impact,” commented BVA president Gudrun Ravetz. “The time has come for the Government to provide clear guarantees and stop using people as bargaining chips.”
The BVA has called for all EU vets and veterinary nurses currently working in the UK to be guaranteed living and working rights.
“At this stage, the Prime Minister’s outline proposal leaves too many questions unanswered and we hope the full details, due to be released on Monday (26 June), offer something more concrete,” Ms Ravetz continues. “The EU referendum has already had a serious effect on EU colleagues, who have been teetering on a knife-edge for 12 months now.”
Findings recently published by the RCVS show that 44 per cent of EU vets living in the UK are fearful about what the future holds. Some 40 per of vets said that they are now more likely to leave, while 18 per cent are actively looking for work outside the UK.
The proposals outlined by Theresa May do not state whether individuals with settled status will be permitted to bring in children or spouses and whether the new status will be subject to conditions other than length of residency.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
