The UK government intends to keep visa-free travel for EU visitors after the country leaves the bloc, reports suggest.
According to the BBC and Bloomberg, the UK is considering allowing EU nationals to freely visit the country, however working, studying or settling would require permission.
An earlier report from The Times said EU citizens would be allowed to travel to Britain to look for a job without applying for a work visa. Companies wanting to hire EU workers would have to apply for sponsorship permits, however.
Companies wanting to hire EU workers would have to apply for sponsorship permits
The number of permits issued in any sector would be controlled by the government, which could charge for each to encourage British businesses to prioritise UK workers.
A Home Office spokesperson responded to the articles saying, “These are just reports at the moment. We will set out immigration policy in due course”.
The reports come a day after the government released a paper detailing its proposals for the porous border between Northern Ireland and the Republic after Brexit.
The government said it wanted to avoid a hard border and said it will maintain agreements laid out in the Common Travel Area which include reciprocal rights for both UK and Irish nationals to study, work and reside without obtaining permission.
The government has said EU students will have access to the national loan scheme until 2018 however it is yet to release a clear strategy for international education partnerships, study abroad and student fee guarantees for EU students.
