Immigration minister Brandon Lewis has said that freedom of movement will end as soon as Britain leaves the EU.
The government is currently preparing a report on the benefits and costs of migration within the EU. It is expected by September 2018.
Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme, Lewis said: “Free movement of labour ends when we leave the European Union in the spring of 2019. I’ll be very clear about that,”
“Obviously, there’s a period of negotiation we’re going through with the European Union at the moment. But we’re very clear that free movement ends. It’s part of the four key principles of the European Union. When we leave, it ends,” he added.
Whilst this runs contrary to previous comments about a transitional period of three to four years, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has said there will be no “cliff edge” for migration.
Rudd wrote in the Financial Times that “the brightest and the best” migrants from around the world would still be welcome in the UK – she also suggested a work permit system for Europeans was in consideration.
Boris Johnson said in Australia this week that he believed immigration was positive for the UK, assuming it was controlled.
“I haven’t seen the study you talk of because I’ve been here in Australia for the last couple of days and travelling for the last week but all I can give you is my own views about the value of immigration and the value of having an open approach to it.
“I say what I have always said. As a society, the City of London benefited massively from having talent come to our shores. We benefit from a large Australian population; I think we had 400,000 French people living in London when I was mayor.
“That doesn’t mean that you can’t control it [and] that’s all that I think people want to see” he added.