Brexit: Almost 80,000 EU citizens apply to settle in NI

More than 79,000 people in NI have applied to the scheme that will allow them to remain in post-Brexit UK, according to official figures.

The settlement scheme is designed to give EU citizens - who entered the UK under the EU's freedom of movement principle - the right to remain.

The latest figures show that by the end of December, a decision had been reached on 72,610 applications.

Almost 97% of those applicants were granted settled or pre-settled status.

Settled status is granted to people who can prove they have been in the UK continuously for five years or more.

Those living in the UK for shorter periods of time can qualify for pre-settled status, which can be upgraded to settled status once the applicant has reached the five-year milestone.

The deadline for applications is the end of June 2021.

The highest number of concluded applications in Northern Ireland have, so far, come from Polish people (21,420) .

The next highest came from Lithuanian (10,690) and Romanian (8,360) nationals.

Applications have been concentrated in three local authority districts: Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon (17,230), Belfast (15,640) and Mid Ulster (13,550).

There are separate arrangements for people from the Republic of Ireland, under the terms of the Common Travel Area.

People who hold Irish citizenship - including dual British and Irish citizenship - do not need to apply to the scheme.