Leaked Report of British Govt Proposes Capping EU immigration at 75000

The British government intends to restrict the number of EU migrants allowed into the country to 75 000 a year from the current 106 000 a year.

The measure is said to be part of a leaked government report on the effect on Britain of the EU's "open borders" policy, according to reports of the Sunday Times, as cited by the Bulgarian National Television (BNT).

Under the proposals listed in the Home Office report, professionals and high-skilled migrants from countries such as Germany, Holland or Austria can move to the UK only if they have a job offer.

At the same time, lower-skilled workers will be allowed into Britain only if their job is on an approved national shortage job list.

The document also suggests blocking EU immigrants from claiming social benefits or tax credits for the first five years  of their stay in the UK.

The report also claims that British people should be given "national preference" for jobs, i.e. jobs explicitly reserved for them, and that labor movement from poorer EU countries to the UK should be restricted until their GDP has reached 75% of Britain's.

A number of observers, however, have described the proposals as absurd, stressing that their application will certainly trigger penalties by the European Commission.

Bulgarians and Romanians are said to be organizing a second protest on Sunday against the restrictions and the discriminatory treatment in the UK. The rally has been scheduled for 2pm-4pm local time in front of the Parliament's building in London.

On Monday, some 100 Bulgarians and Romanians staged a protest for the same reasons in front of the residence of British Prime Minister David Cameron in Downing Street 10.

As of January 1, 2014 British labor markets will be open to Romanians and Bulgarians.

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