My honourable friend the Minister of State for Borders and Immigration (Phil Woolas) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

I am today confirming that the restrictions on working in the United Kingdom currently applied to Bulgarian and Romanian nationals will continue until the end of 2011.

I announced on 18 December 2008 that these restrictions would remain in place subject to a review of the position by the end of 2009. I have re-examined the case for continuing those restrictions. The Government remain committed to the principle of free movement of workers within the European Union and acknowledge the benefits that intra-EU migration brings to the UK both as an exporter of British workers to other member states and as a result of the role of migration from other member states in meeting labour shortages in important sectors of the UK’s economy.

However, the Government have chosen a gradual approach to Bulgarian and Romanian workers' access to the UK’s labour market. Given the current labour market situation, it is important that we continue to give weight to the need to protect the interests of the resident workforce. In March of this year, we accordingly tightened resident labour market testing requirements for non-EEA workers seeking admission under tier 2, and the entry criteria for those coming under tier 1, of the points-based system. I have concluded that, in the light of these considerations, the current restrictions applied to Bulgarian and Romanian workers should continue.

The annual quota for the seasonal agricultural workers scheme (SAWS) will remain at 21,250 places for 2010 and 2011 and the annual quota for the sectors based scheme (SBS) for the food processing sector will remain at an annual level of 3,500 places for 2010 and 2011. I will refer the question of the quota level for the SAWS to the Migration Advisory Committee if evidence emerges to suggest that it is inappropriate.

The current restrictions may be extended for a further two years beyond the end of 2011 on the basis of serious labour market disturbance. Any decision to extend the restrictions will be informed by a further evidence-based review of the position.