Theresa May is considering blocking all EU migrants from coming to Britain unless they have a job.
It comes as the Prime Minister was accused of going “soft” on immigration after ditching Boris Johnson’s plans for an Australian-style points-based immigration system.
Speaking at the G20 Summit in China, Mrs May said such a system is not a “silver bullet” and would not bring the control that British people voted for in the Brexit referendum.
Instead, she is understood to be planning a rigorous work permit system which would stop EU citizens coming to Britain and then looking for work.
She said: "What the British people voted for on the 23rd of June was to bring some control into the movement of people from the European Union to the UK. A points-based system does not give you that control."
“I want a system where the government is able to decide who comes into the country. I think that's what the British people want.
“A points-based system means people come in automatically if they just meet the criteria.”
The system, which was backed by various top Tory Cabinet Ministers as well as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, calculates points based on criteria such as background, skills and salary. Only those who exceed a certain number are allowed a visa to live in the UK.
Nigel Farage, the former UKIP leader and key Vote Leave campaigner, said: “The people were clear in wanting a points-based immigration system, which is why so many went out and voted to leave the European Union. Any watering down from that will lead to real anger.”
