Home Secretary Amber Rudd unveils 'census' of EU workers in Britain to assess the role they play in the UK's economy and society

  • It will help ministers devise immigration system that keeps economy buoyant after country takes back control of borders
  • Ms Rudd stressed there would be ‘implementation period’ when Britain leaves Brussels bloc
  • This will ensure there is no ‘cliff edge’ for employers or EU nationals in the UK

A census-style survey of every EU worker is being launched by Home Secretary Amber Rudd today – but signalled that the UK would not take back full border control on Brexit day.

She has told an independent panel to carry out the most comprehensive assessment ever of the role of European nationals in Britain’s economy and society.

Experts will study exactly how many EU citizens have jobs and issues such as which sectors they work in, regional distribution, skills levels, seasonal workers and their impact on the competitiveness on UK industry.

It intends to help ministers to devise an immigration system that keeps the economy buoyant after the country takes back control of its borders.

A census-style survey of every EU worker is being launched by Home Secretary Amber Rudd today ¿ but signalled that the UK would not take back full border control on Brexit day

A census-style survey of every EU worker is being launched by Home Secretary Amber Rudd today – but signalled that the UK would not take back full border control on Brexit day

But Ms Rudd stressed that there would be an ‘implementation period’ when Britain leaves the Brussels bloc to ensure there is no ‘cliff edge’ for employers or EU nationals in the UK.

She strengthened suggestions that free movement would not end in 2019 in order to give business and government time to adjust to departure – fuelling claims there had been a ‘Brexit betrayal’ over open borders.

Concerns were also raised that the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has been asked to report by September 2018 – only seven months before the UK’s scheduled departure from the EU in March 2019.

It raised questions as to whether this was cutting it too fine for the Government to piece together its new immigration policy.

The Office for National Statistics said that overall more than 2.2million EU nationals aged 16 to 64 work in Britain. Manufacturing relies on some 332,000 EU nationals while the wholesale and retail trade has some 508,000.

Employers have warned that some sectors of the economy, such as agriculture and horticulture, rely heavily on EU workers – and could struggle if the labour supply dries up.

The figures lay bare the challenges businesses face in weaning themselves off cheap foreign labour following Brexit.

Ms Rudd stressed that there would be an ¿implementation period¿ when Britain leaves the Brussels bloc to ensure there is no ¿cliff edge¿ for employers or EU nationals in the UK

Ms Rudd stressed that there would be an ‘implementation period’ when Britain leaves the Brussels bloc to ensure there is no ‘cliff edge’ for employers or EU nationals in the UK

Advisers will also examine issues such as the costs and benefits of EU migration – including the potential impact of any fall in arrivals from the 27 other nations, such as on hospitals and care homes.

They will also look at whether the availability of cheap, unskilled labour has led to low UK investment in certain sectors such as agriculture and food processing.

Writing to MAC chairman Professor Alan Manning, Ms Rudd will say that under a future system ‘we will be able to apply different immigration rules and requirements according to the UK’s economic and social needs’.

Ms Rudd described the study as a ‘major step in ensuring we create a system that works in the best interests of the country’.

She said: ‘Leaving the European Union gives us the opportunity to take control of immigration from the EU. We will ensure we continue to attract those who benefit us economically, socially and culturally.

‘But, at the same time, our new immigration system will give us control of the volume of people coming here - giving the public confidence we are applying our own rules on who we want to come to the UK and helping us to bring down net migration to sustainable levels.’

Lord Green of Deddington, chairman of the Migration Watch think-tank, which campaigns for lower migration, said: ‘This is a very welcome step. It is high time that we had an objective evaluation of the true costs and benefits of EU migration.

‘It is especially important to take account of the massive impact of immigration on the size of our population and the resultant overcrowding which is of concern to a growing number of people.’

Tim Thomas, director of employment and skills policy at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, said: ‘Many manufacturers will see today’s announcement as a first step, with the Government for the first time acknowledging that future migration changes will be implemented in a measured way over a period of years.

‘Whilst this announcement was much needed, the fate of EU nationals already in the UK before Brexit now needs to be settled quickly, positively and conclusively.’

Josh Hardie, deputy director-general of business organisation the CBI, welcomed the move as a ‘sensible first step’.

He said: ‘Businesses urgently need to know what a new system will look like - during transition and afterwards.’

Dr Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: ‘While businesses are committed to filling vacancies locally wherever they can, they will still need access to both EU and global candidates with a range of skills in the future.’

As well as the MAC’s work, talks will be held across sectors including business, industry, trade unions and educational institutions in the coming months.

Official statistics show net long-term migration for EU citizens - the balance between arrivals and departures - was running at an estimated 133,000 last year, a fall of more than a quarter on 2015.

Overall international net migration, including from outside the EU, was also down at 248,000 in 2016, although the measure remains well above the Government’s target of below 100,000.

Last week the Mail revealed that the Cabinet had agreed to pursue a ‘soft-landing’ transition from the EU that could see free movement continue in all but name until 2022.

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