Could Europe’s youth be encouraged to return to work in the UK?

A meeting between the UK’s Prime Minister and the EU’s President could pave the way for a youth mobility scheme, although challenges remain.

A new deal to allow young Europeans to work in the UK could be on the cards, as relations between the EU and UK hold hopes of a thaw.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet with new UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer this week to discuss closer cooperation, which could see a deal struck to allow under-30s to travel and work more freely in the UK.

The same opportunity would apply to young UK citizens keen on working in EU nations.

As part of the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU in 2020, free movement between Europe and the UK was scrapped, ending the automatic right of EU and UK citizens to move and work in either region without the need for work visas.

Today, most EU nationals who want to work in the UK for more than six months must apply for a skilled worker visa, that comes with a number of strings attached – including having to earn a minimum annual salary of £38,700 (€46,472).

Dispensation for a very specific group of Europe’s young

There is some good news for Europeans under the age of 26 wishing to work in the UK.

A special dispensation means they can apply for a skilled worker visa at a lower salary, if they work in an eligible job. The list of applicable roles includes skilled classical ballet dancers, stonemasons, bricklayers, senior care workers, and skilled orchestral musicians, among others.

For those young people meeting the criteria, the UK government has lowered the earning threshold to a minimum of £30,960 (€37,164.60) a year. Speaking on Times Radio, the EU’s ambassador to the UK, Pedro Serrano, suggested a scheme allowing young people to move freely during a gap year – rather than for longer.

Mr Serrano said: “If we have a mechanism that allows young British citizens to go out for a gap year, for example, they have a choice of 27 states within the European Union to do a bit of learning and pay for their learning while they’re there. Why not?

“If people then want to stay later for work, it’s a totally different process. This would be limited in time.”

He added: “There is the fear of migration. It’s a big topic not only in this country but in Europe as well. And we have to see how we’re going to be facing that, working together more effectively. But it has nothing to do with the youth mobility scheme.”

UK hospitality sector counting the loss of young Europeans

Prior to Brexit, the UK hospitality sector was heavily reliant on young workers from the EU, particularly from Romania, Poland, and Spain, who made up a significant portion of the workforce.

According to the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS), in 2019 EU nationals made up 12.3% of the UK’s hospitality workforce. Approximately 120,000 EU workers have left the UK hospitality sector since 2019, contributing to a significant skills gap in the industry.

To help fill that gap, more Britons are entering the industry, according to a report by hospitality recruiter Caterer.com.

The organisation found the three out of five employers are receiving more applications from UK workers than ever before, but more than 28,000 vacancies advertised on its site remain unfilled.

Italy’s leading daily newspaper Couriere della Sera last month mourned the loss of work opportunities for young Italians to be part of the UK hospitality sector, saying: “A young Italian with initiative, the will to work and curiosity could once say, ‘I’ll go to London’.”

In April, former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rejected an EU offer to strike a post-Brexit deal to allow young Britons to live, study, or work in the bloc for up to four years.

The then-leader of the UK opposition, Sir Keir Starmer, also rejected the notion of a youth mobility scheme. Since becoming Prime Minister in July, Starmer has maintained his position, despite pushing to improve the UK’s working relationship with the EU.