Britain’s government on Wednesday announced a three-year immigration scheme to cover most European citizens wanting to come to Britain after a no deal Brexit, in a move aimed at reassuring business they will still be able to recruit the staff they need.
The new policy will allow immigrants and their close family members from the European Economic Area (EEA) — which comprises EU nations, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway-and Switzerland to apply to live and work in Britain for up to three years.
Britain’s interior ministry said the move, to run until the end of 2020, signalled “the end of free movement in its current form” from EEA member states.
“Citizens of those states moving to the UK after we have left the EU and up until the end of 2020 will be able to obtain a temporary immigration status lasting three years,” it said in a statement.
“This will give businesses certainty that they will be able to recruit and retain staff after Brexit.”
The ministry said Europeans could still visit Britain on short trips after Brexit without applying for the scheme.
It added “a tougher criminality threshold” would also be applied post-Brexit for Europeans citizens “in order to keep out and deport those who commit crimes”.
Applications for new three-year stays, which will open after Britain has left the EU, will involve “a simple online process” involving identity, security and criminality checks, according to the interior ministry.
The newly-arrived European citizens who want to stay after their temporary status expires will need to apply under a new skills-based immigration system that Johnson’s government is planning, it said.
“Introducing tougher checks and ending free movement as it currently stands will allow us to take the first, historic steps towards taking back control of our borders,” interior minister Priti Patel said.
“In the future, we will introduce a new points-based immigration system built around the skills and talent people have – not where they are from.”
EU Citizens already settled in Britain before Brexit can remain indefinitely under a separate ‘settled status’ scheme already launched.
More than one million people had been granted status through the scheme, according to the ministry.
Johnson himself will be on a campaign footing on Thursday as he launches a national effort to recruit 20,000 police officers in Yorkshire in northern England. The prime minister will also on Thursday host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Vice President Mike Pence.
He received an endorsement on Wednesday from US President Donald Trump-a key international supporter.
“Boris knows how to win. Don’t worry about him. He’s going to be ok,” Trump told reporters.
Johnson has said he wants to strike a deal with EU leaders to allow for an orderly withdrawal from the bloc at the end of next month after 46 years of membership.
But the EU says it has not received any credible proposals from Britain and a senior EU source on Wednesday poured cold water on the idea that a deal could be struck at a summit in Brussels on October 17-18.
Leaked government assessments say a no-deal Brexit could lead to food and fuel shortages and disrupt vital drug supplies.
The food and automotive sectors are particularly concerned about high tariffs for their exports to the EU.
But the government says it will be ready for Brexit when the time comes and has stepped up no-deal preparations.
The law approved by MPs and being debated in the House of Lords,would force the government to request a three-month delay to Brexit if it has not reached a deal by October 19 — two days after an EU summit.
