The home office is to introduce an Australian-style points system to simplify the work permits system.

Highly skilled workers will no longer need to be sponsored by their employer to find work in the UK.

Workers in the category include IT experts and the changes will mean they can come to the UK without a job if they have sufficient points.

A second tier of workers, including teachers, nurses and administrators, will be able to come to the UK if they have a job offer and their employer is unable to find their skills elsewhere in the EU.

Students and low-skilled workers have no automatic right to stay and will have to leave if their visas expire.