Ministers are aiming to secure a youth mobility scheme with the European Union by the end of 2026, as part of a broader reset of Britain’s relationship with Europe six years after leaving the bloc. The plan would allow tens of thousands of young British and European citizens to live and work in each other’s countries.
UK officials are pushing for a two-year time limit on the scheme and a cap in the “tens of thousands”, with negotiations continuing over a draft text. A government source said that if a two-year scheme were operational by 2027, the first Europeans arriving in the UK would return home before the next election expected in 2029, demonstrating that the programme was controlled and time-limited, with no overall impact on net migration figures.
Labour strategists believe there is a growing political benefit to stepping up criticism of Brexit and arguing more openly for closer ties with Europe. In a speech on Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer attacked the “wild promises” made by Brexit campaigners and said the UK was “still dealing with the consequences today, in our economy, and in trust”. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy noted that Turkey, in a partial customs union with the EU, was “seemingly benefitting and seeing growth in their economy”.
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, leading the negotiations, is due to meet his European counterpart Maroš Šefčovič in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss progress. Both sides stressed that talks are at an early stage, with details such as the qualifying age range still being negotiated. The EU is pushing for a four-year limit, while the UK wants two years.
Thomas-Symonds has said any agreement would be modelled on existing UK schemes with countries like Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. The UK’s scheme with Australia was capped at 45,000 in 2024, though only 9,750 Australians came. Given the EU’s population of nearly 450 million, Brussels is likely to expect a higher cap. A priority for the EU is ensuring participants commit to one country, while the UK wants to ensure working-class Britons can take advantage without prohibitive fees.
