London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

EU citizens are allowed to visit Britain for a job interview, says minister

EU citizens are allowed to visit Britain for a job interview, says minister

Clarification of rules comes after a Spanish woman was locked in a holding room at Gatwick for 24 hours
EU citizens should not be detained or refused entry to the UK if they are coming to Britain for a job interview, the government has confirmed.

The clarification of post-Brexit immigration rules was issued just days after it emerged that a Spanish woman had been locked in a holding room at Gatwick for 24 hours after telling border officials she was in London for an interview.

After a parliamentary question by Labour MP Hilary Benn, the immigration minister Kevin Foster said that such a reason for a visa-free visit to the UK was within the law.

“A person may come to the UK under the visitor route for a job interview.” He added that “if successful they must leave the UK and obtain an entry clearance under a route which grants the right to work in the UK before starting the role”.

According to the government website, “general business activities” allowed include “attending meetings, conferences, seminars, interviews”.

Alarming stories emerged last week of EU citizens being handcuffed at British airports, made to sleep in parked vans or prevented from accessing medication after being denied entry into the country under Brexit rules.

Benn, who now chairs the independent Brexit body, the UK Trade & Business Commission, said “cases of heavy-handed treatment of EU citizens coming into the UK to seek work will do nothing to help address labour shortages, or build a more constructive relationship with our European partners.”

The intervention by Benn comes amid increasing concern over a looming 30 June deadline for EU citizens already in the country to apply for settled status.

More than 50 parliamentarians have written to Boris Johnson urging him to extend the 30 June cut off date.

They warned that even if only 1% of the estimated 4 million EU citizens resident in the UK failed to apply, tens of thousands of people would become undocumented and vulnerable to hostile environment policies on 1 July.

Neale Hanvey, the Alba party MP who coordinated the cross-party letter, said: “The UK government cannot claim to be extending a hand of friendship to the world when in the early days of Brexit, they remove rights and status from EU citizens who have simply missed an administrative deadline for settled status.”

The Home Office came under fire again on Monday in the House of Lords after a number of long-term British citizens with dual EU nationality expressed alarm at receiving letters from the Home Office, telling them they risk losing the right to work, benefits and free healthcare unless they apply for UK immigration status in the next six weeks.

In an exchange with Brexit minister Lord Frost, Labour peer Lord Faulkner of Worcester asked: “Are you not worried the Home Office database is hopelessly inaccurate, and this is causing quite needless pain and alarm for people whose presence in Britain we really value?”.

Frost said the letter had been sent out as part of a “sensible” proactive drive to remind as many people as possible that the cut-off date was imminent.

While there were no plans to extend the 30 June deadline, Frost told the committee that the UK government would be “extremely understanding if for good reasons, reasonable reasons, individual citizens don’t register. There may be many good reasons why they don’t and are late, and we will be as pragmatic about that as we can. But in the end there has to be a deadline.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×