https:\/\/www.channel4.com\/news\/factcheck\/factcheck-may-isnt-telling-the-whole-story-on-immigration?fbclid=IwAR3Yb4WnxsIJOLimbo4NHgBIIJGjmhJtVk_q_iomlKZrgjuZ-uoazuWLkLI<\/a><\/p>\n“Mrs May fails to mention that the UK has had several chances to restrict freedom of movement from the EU, but chose not to take them: in 2004, when the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia joined the trade bloc; then again in 2007 when Bulgaria and Romania were added; and finally in 2013, with the accession of Croatia.<\/p>\n
The UK had the option to restrict the right of citizens from these countries to work in Britain for up to seven years \u2013 but was one of only three countries (alongside Sweden and Ireland) that chose not to.<\/p>\n
And you might think from Mrs May\u2019s words that all non-EU migrants are currently treated equally by the UK immigration system, regardless of nationality. But that\u2019s not the case.<\/p>\n
Non-EU visitors to the UK must get a visa, unless they come from one of 56 \u201cexempt\u201d countries (e.g. Canada, the US, Mexico, Brazil and Australia) whose nationals are allowed to stay in the country for up to six months before they need a visa.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re not from an exempt country \u2013 like South Africa, India, China and Pakistan \u2013 there are other, more restrictive rules in place on who can travel and work here.<\/p>\n
That means that \u2013 completely unrelated to our membership of the EU \u2013 the UK immigration system already discriminates between people based on where they\u2019re from.”<\/p>\n