Plans are underway to permit young Europeans to work in the UK as waiters, baristas and au pairs. This initiative, aims to launch a youth mobility scheme that will permit young adults from the continent to work in Britain for two years.
Preliminary discussions have been held with Switzerland, which is not an EU member, regarding the introduction of this visa. Still, the scheme could also encompass 18 to 30-year-old individuals residing in France, Germany and Spain. The Home Office has expressed a preference for deals with individual nations rather than the entire EU to facilitate the influx of French au pairs and Spanish hospitality industry workers.
However, other departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, are advocating for an EU-wide scheme, with a specific focus on the recruitment of agricultural workers.
Significantly, any proposed agreements would be reciprocal, effectively restoring some of the freedom of movement rights that ceased with the Brexit. Supporters of the plan within the government argue that the scheme could potentially stimulate the economy by filling job vacancies without impacting long-term immigration figures or imposing additional strain on the NHS.
“There are several benefits to this scheme. For starters, these workers typically don’t add to net migration and have a good compliance history. Therefore, the issue of overstaying is not prevalent”, a government insider said.
This news comes after we covered an earlier story about the Home Office’s decision to ease immigration rules, a move backed by the Treasury, to enable more overseas bricklayers, roofers, and carpenters to secure employment in the UK.
The Workers Union Says…
“The concept of a youth mobility scheme is not new to the UK. Existing arrangements with New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Japan, and Iceland allow 18 to 30-year-olds to visit, study or work in the UK for a two-year period, provided they do not overstay, bring over family members, or claim benefits. This comes at a cost of a £259 fee and an annual £470 healthcare surcharge. As per the proposed plans, similar conditions will apply to the European scheme.”
