Louise Senior is the Manager of an immigration law firm , Fragomen. She says that businesses need to stay on top of things as global travel and immigration systems are increasingly digitalised. It is important to prepare now by understanding the shifts that are coming and informing your employees. This will help minimise disruptions for travel and ensure business continuity.
Current landscape: Understanding it
Two key developments are taking place in the UK. The Biometric Resident Permits will be phased-out. The Electronic Travel Authorisation is now being extended to all visitors who come to the UK without a visitor visa.
Transition to eVisas
A BRP is an actual document that shows the visa status for all non-European immigrants living in the UK. This includes those who have Indefinite Leave to remain. BRPs will be replaced by digital “eVisa” before the 31st December 2024. The registration process has already begun, it takes only a few moments and is completely free. The eVisa can be accessed via the UKVI website once it has been issued. Individuals can use this to generate share codes to check Right to Work or to update their eVisa if they have made any changes.
The ETA scheme
The ETA (Digital Travel Authorization) is a permit that visitors to the UK must have. The ETA must be requested in advance of travel, just like the US ESTA. Currently, the ETA is required for all travellers from Bahrain, Kuwait Oman, Qatar Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. However, it will soon be extended to other non-visa nationals. Non-visa nationals (except those from the European Economic Area), will be able to apply for an ETA starting 27 November 2024. This is ahead of the launch date, 8 January 2025. Applications will open for the rest of the EEA visitors on 5 March 2025, ahead of implementation date 2 April 2025. British and Irish citizens are exempted from these requirements.
The ETA is only 10 PS per person and valid for 2 years, or until expiry of the passport. Once obtained, the ETA allows multiple trips to Britain.
What can business prepare for?
- Raising awareness
Human resource professionals should:
- Make sure that the entire business is aware of all the different schemes and the people who are affected;
- Determine which employees travel frequently for business, and for whom travel readiness and registration for an eVisa are critical. Also identify those employees that must register for a visa and encourage them to do so immediately.
HR should also take into consideration:
- Sending communications to all employees
- Posting information on the intranet
- Hosting town hall meetings for various travelling groups
- Displaying notices and information boards around your office or work site.
- Plan timelines
After raising awareness about the importance of promoting diversity, HR professionals should:
- Remind your employees of important dates and reminders about their schedule.
- Encourage employees to apply for ETAs or eVisas before holiday travel.
- Plan for increased demand and internal processes to handle them.
- Engage stakeholders
Once the timelines have been established, HR professionals must:
- Engage with the leadership to determine the business approach (i.e. What costs the business will cover and what employee is personally responsible for;
- Consider the financial implications of policy changes.
- Update written policies if applicable, e.g. travel policies, booking policies, expense policies;
- Engage with third-party providers, such as travel desks or travel management companies to ensure that processes are clear, and they provide employees with necessary information.
- Verify that Right to Work is completed correctly. Verify that expiry dates are recorded correctly.
4. Implement plans
HR teams can take the following final steps:
- Consider offering emergency or hotlines for support during out-of-hours or office closures. This is especially important during the festive season and the early part of the new year.
- Determine if employees will receive ongoing support for tracking and maintaining their permissions. Evaluate whether assistance is offered in monitoring ETA expiration date and tracking employee’s travel days within specific countries.
Plan for the future: 2025 and beyond
It is important that businesses take the necessary steps to ensure employee mobility and operations as we approach the end of the year. Not only the UK, but also travellers to Europe will soon be able to use the ETIAS system. To manage these changes, it is important to raise awareness and ensure that key details are communicated clearly to affected staff. Businesses can reduce anxiety and stress by adopting a proactive strategy.
