Romanian and Bulgarian workers face restrictions for at least another two years

Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants will continue to have restricted access on the British labour market for at least another two years, the Government from London announced on Tuesday, Daily Mail reads in its electronic edition.

The British Home Office opted to keep the restrictions until the end of 2011 for Romanians and Bulgarians trying to get the legal right to work in Great Britain.

The ministers say the decision has been taken in order to protect the British workers and the „national interest”. The restriction has been revised and maintained every year.

A maximum of 21,250 Romanian and Bulgarian seasonal workers may receive leave to come to Great Britain every year. Another 3,500 persons can take a job in the food industry.

After eight ex-communist block countries joined the EU, their citizens were granted free access on the British labour market. Over one million people came to seek a job in the UK. Therefore Romania and Bulgaria got caught in the aftermath and were announced on the date of their accession that their citizens would have limited access to work in Britain.

The British Home Secretary Alan Johnson declared on Monday that the British government committed a series of mistakes regarding immigration, which led to pressures on jobs and services.