UK Home Office White Paper Reveals Post-Brexit Immigration Rules for EU and Non-EU Migrants

In a major shake-up to the immigration rules, thousands of low-skilled migrants could come and work in the UK for up to a year under proposed new post-Brexit migration rules.

The low-skilled migration programme is intended to protect parts of the economy reliant on overseas labour until 2025.

British Home Secretary Sajid Javid told the press that the new system would be based on UK needs rather than where migrants were from and show the UK "open for business".

Announcing what he said would be the biggest shake-up of immigration policy for 40 years, Mr Javid has moved away from a "specific target" for reducing numbers coming into the UK, net migration would come down to "sustainable levels", he said.

The government White Paper - a document setting out proposed new laws before they are formalised in a government bill and law - includes:

• Removing the cap on the number of skilled workers, such as doctors or engineers, from EU and non-EU countries
• A consultation on the minimum salary requirement of £30,000 for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas
• No visas for visitors from the EU
• Phasing in the new system from 2021

The Home Secretary said the proposals would enable the UK to exercise control over its borders and "deliver on the clear instruction" of the British people when they voted to leave the EU.

The ending of free movement from the European Union forms part of Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal.

Lower-skilled and unskilled working migrants will no longer be able to come to work in the UK from Europe and automatically settle permanently the government says.

A "transitional measure" will allow people from "low-risk countries" in Europe and outside the EU will be able to come to the UK, without a job offer, and seek work for up to a year on a temporary visa, similar to a working holiday arrangement.

The new scheme will help fill vacancies in sectors such as construction and social care which are dependent on foreign labour. Ministers fear these sectors will struggle to adapt when free movement of labour ends.

There will be a "cooling off period" after a year of temporary work, meaning people will be expected to leave at that point and not to apply again for a further 12 months.

Applicants will have to pay a fee and will not get access to public funds or be able to switch to any other migration visa scheme.

The numbers being admitted on the one year scheme could be "similar" to the 170,000 workers from outside the European Economic Area currently in low or unskilled roles, it is estimated.

Critics, such as Migration Watch, argue that there was no way of making sure people left after a year and the immigration figures, which do not include people in the UK for less than a year, could be distorted as a result.

"It is shocking that the government should have caved in so completely to the demands of industry while ignoring the strong public desire to get immigration down," said Migration Watch chair Lord Green.

"The chief winners will be business, as they exploit the bonanza of a huge new pool of labour from around the world while continuing to avoid their responsibility to the public to recruit and train up local talent."

The curbing of free movement is expected to work both ways affecting Brits who want to work in Europe. The EU has not given any blanket assurances to Britons living in other EU countries instead leaving it to individual member states to set their own rules.

See also:

UK Government To Change Visa Rules For Doctors And Nurses


London Tops University Destination For International Students

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