Immigration curb ‘puts film and TV at risk’

FILMS and TV shows made in the UK could be hit by a post-Brexit clampdown on immigration, delivering a serious blow to the economy, ministers have been warned.

The end of freedom of movement within the EU could pose a “huge risk to the creative industries”, which often rely on freelancers moving from job to job at short notice.

Trade body the Creative Industries Federation (CIF) warned the £87bn the sector generates for the economy could be jeopardised by restrictive immigration rules.

Phil Dobree, boss of special effects firm Jellyfish Pictures, which has worked on the latest Star Wars movies, said: “Without access to the best talent, which is only available internationally, our business would be lost to regions where access to these broad ranges of skills is readily available.”

According to the CIF, some 25% of architects in the UK are citizens of other EU countries, along with 30% of people in visual effects. A workforce survey conducted by the federation found 75% of 250 firms employed EU workers and twothirds said they could not fill those jobs with British recruits. The organisation called for EU workers to be allowed visa-free travel with minimal red tape to ensure that “same-day access to talent” can be preserved after leaving the bloc.

The CIF also said that after Brexit low-skilled EU workers should continue to be allowed to come to the UK for jobs in the sector and warned against imposing a minimum salary requirement – as applies to non-EU migrants.

For workers from outside the EU there should be a “creative freelancer” visa and an end to the immigration skills charge levied on firms employing a foreign worker.