A Future Outside the European Union

Angelo Dineen

For decades young Britons have enjoyed the freedoms of the EU; able to work, travel and study without limitations. However, on the 29th March 2019 this is all due to change when the UK leaves the EU. Next Generation, a British Council research series, found that two-thirds of young adults say they have an "international outlook". Some 56 percent said that they hope to work abroad in the future, while 57 percent said they felt positive about the effects of globalisation on the UK. At the best of times this transition is confusing and at worse it is chaos, and with no clear, unbiased guidance it can be extremely confusing. This is your comprehensive guide to what affect leaving the EU will have on you.

Will young people be able to work in Europe? - Britain’s current membership in the EU means that citizens are able to live and work anywhere within the 28 countries of the EU freely. Without EU member status, this privilege will not apply, but instead you will need to get a visa.

How will it affect young people wanting to study at universities in Europe? – Since young Britons pay one of the highest tuition fees in the world, many have looked to study abroad with competitive prices and competitive education levels. More than 15,000 British students also study in Europe as part of the Erasmus scheme, although some countries outside the EU take part in the scheme, including Norway and Turkey. This would mean the added obstacle of a Visa once we leave the EU, which also might change UK students’ experiences; as there are more than 20,000 EU students at UK institutions and this number is likely to dwindle.

Will it be easier for young to find work? - Much would depend on the economic impact and whether a move to leave the EU would, as many international financial organisations have warned, trigger an economic reversal in the UK. However many economists predict a growth due to new trade deals, along with an improvement in transatlantic trading. Researchers at the Centre for European Reform (CER) note that if unemployment were to rise, it would be the under 30s who would be most vulnerable. In addition low skilled workers will benefit heavily, as there won'tbe a saturated labour market, therefore making it easier for British workers to have higher wages and a higher likelihood of getting a job. If UK companies were unable to freely hire EU graduates as a result of Brexit, 25% of employers said they would be likely to increase recruitment of British graduates.

One thing is for certain; Brexit will produce uncertainty, and we must do what Brits always do: keep calm and carry on.