To think Brexit has robbed us of so much?

[elzober]

A friend of mine from America recently obtained citizenship of an EU country due to family links. She's now ready to look for a job and open to anything as she doesn't have a degree but worked in the family agricultural business back home. She's fluent in English.

A few years ago I would have been able to invite her to stay with me here in the UK, help her get established and set her up to apply for one of the many jobs over here. But now I can't do any of that.

The ridiculous part is I know local businesses that are really struggling to recruit, can't find people locally and have struggled with the lack of EU workers since Brexit. Particularly in hospitality, agriculture and travel.

Why did we close the door to people who filled these vacancies and contributed to society and paid taxes?

She would have been a decent tax payer, nice member of the community but she's not allowed in.

She's probably going to Ireland now as apparently there's lots more opportunities there since we became an isolated island.

I will never forgive the Conservatives for this shambles. Don't get me started on the fact that a British passport is now worthless and we've lost our right to live in 27 countries. Madness.

If you think a British passport is worthless, try travelling without one.

see the positives: we have all those millions coming back to the NHS, no longer forced into Obeying EU laws and English fisheries are flourishing again (oh wait…🤔).

It's not worthless, but it should certainly be cheaper now🙈

What other languages is she fluent in? Surely that will help her find a job!
.what are USA entry visas requirements?

People can still travel, work and live in EU countries, there's just more planning and paperwork needed. Just like there always has been for non EU countries like Australia.

I agree. Being able to go and live and work and study in amazing places in Europe without the hassle of a visa was an amazing thing. My industry is very understaffed largely due to a lack of EU workers coming over. It was really interesting to meet people from different cultures, especially at university. Students now are less able to meet others from EU countries as these students now have to pay international fees so there are less of them. Also longer queues at airports and the feeling of being outside of the community is sad. I see no upsides.

It hasn't robbed me of anything.

Yes, but the planning and paperwork is a massive barrier that discourages people travelling to work. The amount of (desperately needed) nurses coming to the UK to work from the EU has dropped by 87% since brexit. Similar stats for other industries (veterinary and farming are struggling particularly after relying on EU workers for ~50% of their workers). The general feeling of being unwelcome since the brexit vote also discourages people travelling. Is there an upside of making people do all this extra planning and paperwork before coming to fill vacancies and ease the burden on the NHS and other essential services?

What kind of job is she expecting? Brexit was seen by some as the solution to the importation of unskilled labour for eg fruit picking/labouring etc because people were being brought over on basically slave wages with dubious contacts and driving down wages for British workers.

So sounds like it's working. If she's got something to offer she can apply for a visa.

Why did the rest of us have to be stripped of our rights just because you didn't want to exercise yours?

Fine if you didn't want visa-free work, travel and study in 27 countries, but I can't see why those of us who did want this had to have it taken from us against our will.

Do you feel brexit has benefitted you personally though? And are the benefits tangible enough that you are ok with many others feeling that they have been robbed of their right to work, study and experience life in other countries? Do you think it’s worth the added pressure on the NHS and other industries due to staffing shortages?

YANBU, it all makes me so sad.

We had the opportunity to work and live in Spain, COVID put paid to it but TBH the hoops to jump through being a non-EU resident we’re just depressing.

What’s frustrating is that people knew these problems would happen but the lies from the Leave campaign were picked up unchallenged by certain sectors of the media.

Gordon Bennett. We just have to get on & make the best if it now. Your friend coming here or not us of no great significance to the country as a whole.

Employer's struggling to employ now due to lack of EU workers applying just reads as Employer's struggling to employ now the people looking for work don't want to work for the pittance pay Employer's have been getting away with for to long. Cheap EU workers labour has gone so now Employer's are moaning they now have to pay a fair wage.

BTW a U.K. passport is far from “worthless”.

It is currently tied 6th place in the rankings with French, Portuguese & Irish passports;

edition.cnn.com/travel/amp/henley-index-world-best-passport-q3-2022/index.html

When these problems were mentioned they were immediately dismissed as 'Project Fear', remember?

What is the point of this thread? Brexit was an awful decision in my view, but it has happened and we won't be able to rejoin for decades, if ever. These threads just stir the shit and cause fights.

T f some of that moaning is probably because it will mean raising prices even more and people will kick off. Thete waa a reason people could have super cheap food here

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fruit-and-vegetables-rot-in-farmers-fields-despite-rising-food-bills-x2k73vv3f

It was always going to be a shit show once employers gravy train of getting away with employing cheap labour from the EU stopped. It was never sustainable in the long term.

It doesn't necessarily mean we've lost our right to live elsewhere. Other countries operate visa schemes for people with different skills, just as we do. My niece has just taken a job in Germany. Equally, I've just employed someone from Spain.

Right to reside is no longer automatic, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. The same with studying abroad, there are still options available.

There are more vacancies in the UK now, because there are fewer people here from the EU. Inconvenient for companies but great for UK people looking for work. So it benefits some and makes things harder for others.

It's not my choice and the paperwork is a pain but it's done so I'll work within the new rules and see where we get to. I'm not going to waste time feeling sad. I really don't see how that helps me.

Yes in fairness, decreased downward pressure on wages is one of the bona fide silver linings.

We all know the downsides too, of course, but someone’s mate having to work in Ireland instead of Britain doesn’t even register on the scale.

I wish more people would quit whinging and just get on with it. I can’t face 20 years until the next referendum listening to this constant whining. It’s like being stuck with the the most backward looking old soaks in the pub.

People like you who voted for this mess will never realise what youve lost sadly
he biggest one for me are the travel and job opportunities that have been lost

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/brexit-this-graph-showing-most-powerful-passports-from-2010-2022-is-sobering-331318/amp/

In 2010 the British passport was ranked the most powerful in the world. According to this article and graph, it's now slipped to 13th.