Overview

• Ministers are pursuing a reciprocal, time‑limited scheme for young people to live and work across the UK and EU, with eligibility, duration and annual caps yet to be settled.
• Reported designs draw on existing Australia and Canada models, with discussions referencing 18‑ to 30‑year‑olds on stays of up to two years without a route to settlement.
• Reeves argues the scheme could support growth and reduce pressure for tax rises, citing research and parliamentary analysis pointing to modest GDP gains and potential revenues.
• Reform UK and Conservative figures label the plan a backdoor to free movement, while polling cited in coverage indicates broad support for a structured exchange.
• The push is tied to a tight November Budget and a widely reported £30bn–£50bn fiscal gap, set against the OBR’s view that Brexit has left GDP about 4% smaller.