UK-EU Summit delivers mixed messages for contractors: legal experts remain sceptical
New agreements on professional qualifications and youth mobility schemes promise easier cross-border work, but immigration lawyers warn the devil remains in the detail
Following this week’s UK-EU summit, contractors and freelancers hoping for easier access to European markets may need to temper their expectations, according to leading immigration lawyers who have poured cold water on suggestions that the agreements will deliver immediate benefits.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement on Monday (19 May) of new cooperation agreements with EU leaders included promises of mutual recognition for professional qualifications and a potential youth mobility scheme for under-30s. However, legal experts are warning that both initiatives remain largely aspirational, with significant hurdles still to overcome.
Professional qualification: A double-edged sword
The proposed mutual recognition of professional qualifications could theoretically benefit contractors in regulated sectors such as law, medicine, and accountancy by reducing bureaucratic barriers to cross-border work. However, the impact may be limited to a narrow band of professionals.
Lynsey Blyth, immigration partner at law firm Michelmores, acknowledged that if agreed, the professional qualification recognition scheme would cut “a lot of red tape”, eliminating the need for retraining when relocating, and potentially easing the recruitment of overseas professionals into the UK workforce.
Yet she was quick to highlight the scheme’s limitations for the broader contractor market: “Those recruiting into sectors that do not require a professional qualification, such as construction, retail and hospitality – basically where the biggest staffing shortages currently exist – will gain absolutely no benefit from this at all.”
This presents a particular challenge for the thousands of UK contractors working in sectors like IT, digital marketing, creative services, and project management, who may not fall under traditional professional qualification frameworks despite their specialist skills.
Youth mobility scheme: more fantasy than reality?
The much-discussed youth mobility scheme for under-30s has generated considerable speculation but little concrete detail. The proposal would theoretically make it easier for younger contractors and freelancers to work temporarily across UK and EU borders, but legal experts remain deeply sceptical about its near-term prospects.
Blyth was particularly dismissive of suggestions that the scheme would provide immediate relief for talent shortages, describing current assessments as “akin to Mystic Meg’s crystal ball gazing” due to the lack of concrete details.
“This is likely because the UK and the EU have opposing ideas of what the ideal scheme would entail,” she explained. “Until we get some sort of clarity about what the scheme will actually involve, any assessment of its impact is akin to Mystic Meg’s crystal ball gazing.”
The scheme is reported to be time-limited and explicitly not a return to freedom of movement, suggesting it would offer temporary rather than permanent solutions for contractors seeking European opportunities.
The UK government’s explainer on the UK-EU summit outcome stresses that the UK and EU have “agreed that any scheme will be time limited, on terms to be mutually agreed, and that the overall number of participants must be acceptable to both sides”.
It also states that the UK “has been clear that any scheme should be in line with the UK’s existing schemes including participants having no access to benefits and no right to bring dependents”.
As it stands, you can apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa if you:
- Want to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years
- Are aged 18 to 30 or 18 to 35, depending on where you’re from
- Have £2,530 in savings
- Have certain types of British Nationality or are from certain countries or territories listed in the eligibility requirements
Sectors that could benefit
Despite the overall pessimism, some legal experts do see potential benefits for specific sectors if agreements can be finalised. Tsige Berhanu, immigration partner at Keystone Law, suggested that a full youth mobility deal could help sectors struggling with talent shortages.
“Industries like hospitality and the care sector could benefit greatly by filling short-term vacancies in positions that don’t meet the higher skill requirements needed to sponsor permanent employees,” Berhanu noted.
This could create opportunities for UK contractors in these sectors to take on short-term assignments across Europe, though the temporary nature of such arrangements may limit their appeal for those seeking stable, long-term work relationships.
The bigger picture: no return to pre-Brexit ease
Perhaps most significantly for the contractor community, legal experts emphasise that these agreements fall well short of restoring pre-Brexit working arrangements. Senior associate Henna Elahi at Grosvenor Law was clear that the deals “do not appear to make it any easier for companies to generally hire talent and shift employees between the UK and EU.”
“For now, it does not appear that there is a return to pre-Brexit freedom of movement, and companies will still need to navigate their way through the complex immigration procedures of the UK and the EU,” Elahi warned.
This reality check is particularly relevant for contractors who previously relied on the ability to move freely between UK and European clients, building portfolio careers that spanned multiple jurisdictions.
What this means for contractors (for now)
The summit’s outcomes present a mixed picture for the UK’s contractors and freelancers. While any reduction in bureaucratic barriers is welcome, the agreements appear to offer more promise than immediate practical benefit.
Contractors in regulated professions may eventually see some easing of qualification recognition processes, but those in the broader knowledge economy, for example, from tech consultants to creative freelancers, are likely to see little immediate change in their ability to work across European markets.
The emphasis on “eventual” agreements and ongoing negotiations suggests that contractors seeking European opportunities will need to continue navigating the current complex visa and work permit systems for the foreseeable future.
For now, Blyth’s assessment that “Starmer’s update from the UK-EU summit on Monday, does not have any immediate positive impact for talent” appears to capture the consensus among legal experts: these are steps in the right direction, but steps that may take considerable time to translate into tangible benefits for including for contractors and freelancers.
However, for nomadic freelancers, there is some good news. Where enabled, UK passport holders will now be able to use eGates across Europe and the UK government will work with EU Member States to expand UK citizen access to eGates.
Qualifications v. experience
For now, those wishing to come to the UK to work will have to follow the newly proposed immigration policies for skilled workers.
Nicole Hambleton, an Associate, working in both the Employment and Immigration teams at Michelmores, outlined some of the key points from the skilled worker visa changes:
Qualification requirements
- Minimum qualification level being raised from RQF 3 (A-level equivalent) back to RQF 6 (bachelor’s degree equivalent)
- This reverses the 2020 reduction that was implemented as compensation for losing EU free movement
- Minimum salary requirement also being increased, though exact amount not yet specified
Sectors most affected
- Catering, hospitality and entertainment industries expected to be hit hardest
Workers in these sectors often gain expertise through on-the-job experience rather than formal education. This could risk excluding candidates with significant industry experience but no degree qualification
Transitional arrangements
Current UK workers in RQF 3 level positions can remain on Skilled Worker visa route
They’ll be able to renew existing visas or apply for employment changes. Protections will be in place for those already in the system
English language changes
- Minimum English requirement raised from B1 (intermediate) to B2 (upper intermediate)
- This may not significantly impact sectors where English proficiency is already essential for the role. However, it could create barriers for positions requiring UK presence but only conversational English.
- Adult dependents of Skilled Workers must now demonstrate A1 (basic user) English proficiency. New dependent requirements may present challenges for certain demographic groups.
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