Overview
- Brussels is pushing for no annual quota on participants, with diplomats floating an emergency brake if numbers surge.
- London maintains any deal must be time-limited and capped, with UK officials proposing a two-year stay and a cap in the tens of thousands.
- EU negotiators have sought equal treatment for European students, including waiving international tuition status and the NHS surcharge.
- Ministers are split, with the Treasury backing a broader scheme to aid growth and the Home Office warning about net migration impacts.
- Talks remain at an early stage, with an EU working party weighing a mandate on Friday, a Thomas-Symonds–Šefčovič meeting due Wednesday, and a target of finalising within a year for a 2027 launch.