Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Sep 15, 2025

British work visa curbs begin to bite - Chinadaily.com.cn

British work visa curbs begin to bite - Chinadaily.com.cn

As the United Kingdom gears up to overhaul its immigration system, the country's plan to end freedom of movement for millions of European Union citizens within its borders is already hurting both sides, analysts said.
British Home Secretary Priti Patel on Monday unveiled a document outlining the new immigration rules after the country completes its departure from the EU. At their core is a points-based system for deciding who will be allowed to stay in the UK.

Under the changes, which will come into effect from Jan 1, citizens of the EU's 27 member countries will be treated equally to arrivals from the rest of the world. But it allows those already living in Britain, and those yet to arrive before Dec 31, to apply to settle in Britain under an EU settlement scheme. Applications must be in by June 30.More than 3.7 million EU citizens have already applied.

The EU applicants applying to work in Britain will also need sufficient English-language skills to aid their integration into British communities.

"The British people voted to take back control of our borders and introduce a new points-based immigration system," Patel said.

"Now we have left the EU, we are free to unleash this country's full potential and implement the changes we need to restore trust in the immigration system and deliver a new fairer, firmer, skills-led system from Jan 1, 2021."

Jon Geldart, director-general of the United Kingdom Institute of Directors, which represents over 25,000 business leaders in the UK, said that even the mere discussion of the news rules is already affecting British businesses.

"For some time since Brexit was voted on by the British public there have been concerns that the end to free movement would result in Britain seeming like it is not a welcoming place for talented employees," he said. "This is not the message the British industry wishes to send to the world."

Difficulties for choices

He said that the government will need to ensure that work visas can be granted quickly for the talent that Britain needs to rebuild its economy after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Claudia Vernotti, director of ChinaEU, a business-led association in Brussels, Belgium, said that the incoming policy probably won't have profound effects on Europeans who don't live, study, or work in the UK.But for many others, it could suggest difficulties for future choices.

"It may deter some people's decision to move to the UK or make them adopt a more cautious attitude toward programming education, seeking a job or selecting business partners in the UK," she said.

He Yun, an assistant professor in the School of Public Administration at Hunan University, said that migration is already a divisive issue in many European countries. Brexit could intensify the debate on the free flow of labor within the EU and potentially cause further challenges for European integration.

The points-based immigration system will make it difficult for low-skilled EU workers, in particular, to enter the UK as they will not be able to reach a designated salary threshold required to apply for work visas, she said.

"This problem is particularly acute for many Eastern European workers working in agriculture, care homes, and construction in the UK," He said. "They will have to look for jobs elsewhere, for instance, in more developed economies within the EU, such as Germany and France."

For the UK, ending the free flow of workers between it and the EU will hurt certain sectors of the economy - such as public health, agriculture and construction - that employ many EU laborers.

"The UK government has already promised to give European doctors and nurses fast-track visas, but how well and quickly the system will be implemented and whether it will cause any disruption are unknown," she said.

She said that due to the pandemic, businesses from both sides will not have enough time to plan for what is to come after the transition period ends. Given this backdrop, the end of the free flow of people between the EU and the UK in less than six months could cause major disruptions, He said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×