Glimmer of Hope for Would-Be UK Ski Seasonaires
21st April 2024
Last modified on April 26th, 2024
Brexit cut the widespread ability of people to work in Europe with the end of the free movement of labour. Now the EU is proposing a deal for young people, but UK politicians are lukewarm.
One of the consequences of the UK leaving the EU was the end of British people being able to work freely in Europe.
As well as the EU it included other ski nations including Norway and Switzerland that are outside the EU, but inside the Schengen area.
The UK is not in the Schengen customs area.
It had a damaging impact on young people from the UK who wanted to work in ski resorts, as we have reported:
- Skiing, Snowboarding & Working in the EU after Brexit
- Worries continue for Brits wanting to work in the Alps after Brexit
- Jobs for British ski instructors and resort staff under threat
Verbier, Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
It is still possible in some circumstances for UK nationals to work in the ski nations of Europe, but it is costly and bureaucratic with visas/work permits required.
The BBC reports that the EU wants to reach a deal that would make it easier for people aged between 18 and 30 to study and work abroad in the wake of Brexit.
The European Commission says it would be a limited arrangement, not a restoration of free movement of people.
The UK already runs schemes with some non-EU countries to allow people to come to the UK for up to two years.
The UK says it is open to extending that to individual EU member countries, rather than throughout the EU.
Downing Street has said it prefers country-by-country deals rather than an agreement that would apply across all 27 member states of the European Union.
Labour has said it has “no plans for a youth mobility scheme” if it wins the general election later this year.
A party spokesperson said it had already pledged “no return to the single market, customs union or free movement” if it takes office.
See here for the full story on the BBC.
There have been campaigns within the UK snowsports industry to allow UK tour operators to employ UK staff in the ski nations of Europe since Brexit.
One was a petition, Save Our Travel Jobs, to the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, that more than 17,000 people signed.
It was organised by the group Seasonal Businesses in Travel, SBiT.
