May proposes withdrawing EU citizens’ privileges after Brexit

Theresa May yesterday launched her migration plan after Brexit, which will prioritise highly qualified immigrants without take into account their origin and involves withdrawing the privileges of European citizens arriving in the United Kingdom following the country’s break from the EU once free movement of people has been brought to an end. The plan was presented by Home Minister Sajid Javid at the conservative congress being held in Birmingham, while former Minister Boris Johnson delivered an alternative speech.

The package of measures has been proposed by the advisory committee on migration, an independent body that advises the government, accepted by the Labour Party and adopted by May’s cabinet last week. The measures include electronic passport checking at airports of short-stay tourists and businesspeople from “low risk” countries (a privilege previously reserved for EU members only), a visa-authorisation system similar to that of the US and the requirement of a work contract that exceeds the minimum wage for workers who want to stay longer to “make sure they do not compete with any British citizen,” May told the BBC.

Accepted candidates will be able to bring their immediate family and there will be no student quotas.