‘Brexit’ leaves the fate of immigrants hazy

In an earth-shaking referendum on June 23, the majority of the UK public voted to leave its 40-year membership in the European Union. This is the biggest hit to the European mission of greater unity since WWII. Aside from far-reaching economic issues, the vote to exit also puts into question the fate of Spanish, Greek, and Italian Filipinos who have relocated to the UK with their families for better opportunities, not to mention that of half a million Filipino immigrants.
The British exit vote has shown that Britain is divided. Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain, while Wales and England opted out – apart from London, which voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU.
Scotland, which firmly expressed its desire to stay in Europe, will likely call for its own referendum to become independent from the UK.
Interestingly, Brexit has stirred exit rumours from other EU countries, with Italy, Holland, France, and Denmark allegedly seeking to call their own referendums.
There has been much discussion about “Project Fear,” ie, immigrants flooding into the UK, as being the reason for the result. Being part of the EU allows for free mobility across the continent. The largest European-born populations in the UK are from Republic of Ireland and Germany, both at around half a million, and Poland, which now stands at around one million. Now, this ease of movement will possibly cease.
Europeans living in the UK are left in immigration limbo, as no clear plan was announced about what would happen to them should Britain leave the EU.
Likewise, around 2 million Britons live and work across Europe. Their collective futures now hang in the air.
Although Britain’s stake in the EU will likely continue for at least two more years, it seems that British influence will wane as time goes on.
It will no doubt be a challenge for the nation to effectively negotiate not only the terms of its departure from the EU, but also how trade finance, and politics, among other pressing topics, will be handled.
Almost half a million Filipinos are estimated to live in Britain, who will likely be affected by the referendum result – whether positively or negatively is circumstantial.
Likely to be impacted positively are Filipino healthcare workers in the UK, who provide the highest number of qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the National Health Service (NHS) after British nationals. The Philippines also provides the third highest number of NHS staff in general. Will the NHS and other pivotal UK systems collapse without the support that European nationals provide? Will employers offer to cover valued European employees with working visas? Only time will tell.
Going forward, Filipinos in the UK may very well have greater employment opportunities. However, their ability to work, study, live, or transact business in the 27 other member countries of belonging to the EU is likely to be greatly, if not entirely, reduced.
The most urgent need for answers is among Spanish, Greek, and Italian Filipinos who have relocated to the UK with their families in order to escape the financial declines in their host countries. Their status in Britain is now called into question.
Cameron’s resignation as prime minister now opens the gates for new leadership – someone to direct effective negotiations with the EU, and to take into account the conflict that has brewed across the nation.
Certainly the coming weeks, months, and years will be a turbulent time for those in Europe – and especially those in a deeply divided Britain.