How Has Brexit Affected Immigration?

Changes to Free Movement and Points-Based Systems

Brexit – the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union – brought one of the most fundamental shifts in UK immigration policy in decades. Beyond trade and political relations, Brexit reshaped who can come to the UK to live, study, work, or join family members. The most important changes have been the end of free movement for EU citizens and the creation of a points-based immigration system that applies to almost all migrants. This article explores what those changes mean, how they work in practice, and what effects they have had on people and the economy.

1. End of Free Movement

For nearly half a century, citizens of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland could move to the UK without needing a visa, work permit, or complex paperwork. This principle of free movement was at the heart of EU membership and allowed individuals to live, work, or study in another EU country simply and straightforwardly.

When the Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020, the UK formally ended free movement. From 1 January 2021, EU/EEA/Swiss nationals were treated in the same way as citizens from anywhere else in the world when it came to immigration rules.

What Changed for EU Citizens?

• No automatic right to live or work: EU citizens now must apply for visas under the UK immigration system if they want to stay long term or work.

• Settled Status: People from the EU who were already living in the UK before 2021 could apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to secure the right to remain permanently. Millions have done so, allowing them to continue their lives in the UK.

• New arrivals after 2021 must meet visa requirements like other non-EU migrants.

Ending free movement gave the UK government more control over its borders — a key demand of the Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum — but also introduced bureaucracy and cost where there was once none.

2. The Points-Based Immigration System

With free movement gone, the UK rolled out a new points-based immigration system (PBS) starting in January 2021. Under this system, anyone wanting to come to the UK for work must earn enough “points” based on specific criteria.

How Does It Work?

To qualify for a work visa, applicants generally need:

• A job offer from a Home Office-licensed sponsor

• A job at a required skill level (equivalent to A-level or higher, though recent reforms may raise this further)

• A specified minimum salary

• English language ability

These core criteria give most of the required points — additional points can be earned for higher salaries, jobs in shortage occupations, or advanced qualifications such as PhDs.

Who is Eligible?

Under this system:

• EU and non-EU citizens are treated equally.

• There is no separate free-movement route for Europeans.

• Special routes exist (e.g. for healthcare workers, graduates, and highly skilled talent), but there are different rules and thresholds depending on the visa category.

3. Effects on Migration Patterns

Brexit was expected to sharply reduce immigration from the EU by replacing free movement with a more restrictive system, but the reality has been complex.

EU Migration Has Fallen

The number of EU nationals migrating to the UK has fallen since Brexit, in large part because the barriers to entering have increased. Research from independent experts suggests the new system could reduce long-term EU work migration by a significant margin compared with the free movement era.

Non-EU Migration Has Grown

At the same time, the points-based system liberalised certain routes for non-EU migrants, especially skilled workers and students. For example, student visas and graduate-stay permissions have attracted more international students from around the world.

This shift means overall immigration levels have remained high or even grown at times after Brexit — driven partly by non-EU migration and humanitarian routes — even as EU inflows declined.

Recent Trends (2023–2025)

Data released by the UK’s Office for National Statistics shows net migration (the difference between people arriving and leaving) surged in 2023, largely because of visa expansions, then fell sharply in 2024–2025 as stricter policies took effect.

4. Impact on Jobs, Economy, and Society

The end of free movement and the points-based system has had both economic and social impacts:

Labour Shortages

Some industries that relied heavily on EU workers — like hospitality, agriculture, and construction — have reported labour shortages. Without the ability for workers to move freely, employers often find it harder to fill certain roles.

Business and Recruitment

Employers now have to sponsor visas and adhere to immigration compliance, adding cost and administrative work. Some sectors say this makes hiring harder and slows growth, while others argue it encourages investment in local skills training.

Economic Shifts

The shift to attract global talent hasn’t fully offset the decline in EU workers for all sectors, though it has diversified the source of migrants. Student and skilled worker pathways have grown in importance in the economy.

5. New Reforms and Future Direction

Since 2021, UK governments have continued to refine immigration policy. In 2025, for example, the government outlined plans to tighten skilled worker routes by raising skill and salary thresholds and narrowing some visa categories to reduce net migration further.

There have also been discussions about introducing limited youth mobility schemes with the EU — a potential partial return to freer movement for certain groups, though capped and controlled.

Conclusion: A More Controlled and Selective System

Brexit transformed UK immigration policy by ending free movement with the EU and replacing it with a uniform points-based system. This change gave the UK greater control over who can enter and stay, making eligibility dependent on skills, job offers, and economic criteria rather than nationality.

The impacts are clear:

• EU migration has fallen, as free movement ended.

• Non-EU routes have grown, especially for students and skilled workers.

• Labour shortages and economic shifts have emerged in certain sectors.

• Policy remains evolving, with further reforms aimed at reducing net migration.

As UK immigration continues to evolve, the balance between economic needs, public expectations, and international mobility will remain a central issue in politics and public debate.