UK nationals would suffer under skills-based immigration
UK The home secretary, Sajid Javid, has been warned by Brussels that the UK’s own nationals will suffer if it introduces a postBrexit immigration system that discriminates between European citizens according to their skills.
The policy is likely to be unveiled at the Conservative party conference, which begins on Sunday. Following a meeting this week with the prime minister and Javid in Whitehall, Guy Verhofstadt, who represents the European parliament in the Brexit negotiations, has in a letter obtained by the Guardian given warning of a titfortat response. Verhofstadt, a former prime minister of Belgium, tells Javid that any discrimination among EU nationals on the basis of nationality or employment “would apply reciprocally to UK citizens moving to the EU 26”. The conclusion is understood to be supported by EU officials and diplomats representing the member states. Theresa May’s cabinet agreed in principle on Monday that EU citizens should face the same immigration rules as people from the rest of the world if they want to live or work in the UK. The cabinet decided that “skills, not nationality” would be the test for people seeking to move to the UK.
Such a system would most likely be phased in after the 21month transition period, during which the UK will abide by EU rules, including the free movement of people. The decision is likely to be trumpeted at the Tory conference in Birmingham, with May keen to find some positive Brexit news to cheer her party members. In his letter to Javid, Verhofstadt, who leads a crossparty Brexit steering group of MEPs, writes: “We know this matter was discussed in cabinet on Monday and that it will be the subject of a further white paper to be issued shortly. “We await to see the details of that white paper on what will be an important element of a future EUUK association agreement. “The [European parliament’s Brexit steering group’s] initial thinking on this was that while we would be open to a variety of different mobility arrangements, it would be difficult for the parliament to agree to arrangements that were discriminatory in terms of nationality or type of employment.
“It was also our strong view that whatever was finally agreed with respect to EU citizens wishing to move to the UK would apply reciprocally to UK citizens moving to the EU 26.” The issue of citizens’ rights has been the central preoccupation of the European parliament, which will have a right to veto any withdrawal agreement struck between the UK and the EU. Verhofstadt also calls for the British government to spell out its thinking on the right of onward movement for EU nationals who are given settled status in the UK. As it stands, those with such rights to stay would lose them if they left the UK for five years or more.
(The Guardian)