Labour could introduce new post-Brexit visa scheme for unskilled workers, leaked paper reveals

Leaked policy paper suggests Jeremy Corbyn will relax restrictions on immigration

Jeremy Corbyn could reintroduce Tier 3 visas for foreign workers (Reuters)

Labour has reportedly drawn up a draft policy paper to allow unskilled migrants into the UK after Brexit.

It proposes bringing back a special visa scheme for people seeking "low-skilled, unskilled and seasonal work" in the UK.

The policy paper, seen by the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, also proposes axeing rules which stop foreign spouses coming to the UK if their partner earns less than £18,600 per year.

The new path for unskilled workers, known as Tier 3, was one of five original tiers of immigration visa drawn up by the previous Labour government in 2008 to attract foreign workers to do low-paid jobs British workers did not want, but it was never put into force because of an influx of workers from Eastern Europe.

Tier 1 visas are for investors and entrepreneurs who are likely to create jobs in the UK while Tier 2 visas are for skilled workers below PhD level, such as tech workers or curry chefs, who make up for a skill shortage in the UK. Tier 4 is for student visas and Tier 5 offers temporary visas for young people aged 18-30.

Labour did not include these plans in its manifesto and Jeremy Corbyn himself said at the weekend that he would introduce a "fair" immigration system but refused "to get into a numbers game".

The party told the Daily Mail that the document was genuine but said it was one of several "discussion documents" there were not official policy.

But under these plans, if they were to become official policy, Mr Corbyn would introduce a green card system under which anyone who successfully applies could get permanent residency rights.

Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn wants to secure the rights of all EU citizens living here and applications would be open to anyone with "family connections, a job offer, relevant skills for employment and refugee or asylum status".

The Conservatives have cracked down hard on immigration during their time in government and have reiterated their manifesto promise to get it down to "the tens of thousands" before the end of the parliament.

One way they have aimed to restrict migrant numbers is clamping down on Tier 2 visas by introducing the "Immigration Skills Charge" – a levy of £1,000 per worker per year which will increase to £2,000 if they are returned on 8 June.

The Tories say it is designed to encourage businesses to train UK-born workers but Indian restaurateur Cyrus Todiwala told The Independent it will force smaller companies out of business because they cannot compete when attracting talent.