EU immigration decision
Tuesday, 24 Oct 2006 08:24
John Reid has announced restrictions on EU workers
There will be restrictions on the working rights of Bulgarian and Romanian immigrants when their countries join the EU, John Reid has announced.
The home secretary said there would be no "open door" policy after EU accession next January, but the labour market would be opened gradually.
The plans come amid concerns about how many Bulgarians and Romanians would come to the UK. Since, ten new states joined the EU in 2004, 600,000 new workers have arrived.
Low-skilled workers will be restricted to existing quotas in agriculture and food processing industries, and skilled workers will have to apply for working permits.
The Conservatives have welcomed the restrictions, but say more details are needed. The Liberal Democrats argued limiting working rights could create a black market of workers.
Some business organisations have welcomed the proposals, but others have warned they could place pressure on firms to act as "pseudo immigration officers".
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