MORE than 10,000 EU nationals will be staying in Colchester and Tendring post-Brexit thanks to successful applications for residency, it has been revealed.

Home Office figures have shown 8,650 people from Colchester and 1,860 from Tendring successfully applied to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Those who have lived in the UK for five years, meet the criteria and apply before June 30 this year will receive “settled status”, following the UK’s exit from the EU last week.

Pre-settled status is for those who have lived in the country for less time and gives them five more years, after which they can try for settled status.

Of the 8,800 applications dealt with in Colchester and 1,860 from Tendring between August 2018 and September 2020, 6,170 were granted applicants settled status and 4,310 pre-settled status.

About 190 applications were either refused, withdrawn or invalid. There were also about 430 applications from people who are not from the European economic area, but qualify for the scheme, including family members of EU citizens living in the UK.

It comes as Essex MPs welcomed the UK finally cutting ties with the EU. The transition period ended on New Year’s Eve, more than four years after the referendum.

Sir Bernard Jenkin, Harwich and North Essex MP, described it as taking “back control of our destiny”. During a debate in Parliament on the agreement between the UK and the EU Sir Bernard said: “Some said the EU would never allow the UK to leave EU control and to prosper.

“What the EU negotiators called ‘governance’ became the fundamental difference of principle in the EU negotiations.

“The agreement may be less than many would have liked in many respects but I pay tribute to the Prime Minister, who held absolutely firm on governance.”

Colchester MP Will Quince described it as an “exciting new era”.

He added: “The Government acknowledges this deal will still mean some change for people and businesses in the UK.

"I look forward to a bright future from 2021 onwards with the many benefits this deal brings for our country.”