UK to retain curbs on Romanian, Bulgarian workers

British labour restrictions on Romanian and Bulgarian workers will remain in place, the government announced on Thursday.

The economic downturn meant British workers' jobs had to be protected first, it said.

"It is essential that only those we need can come here to work and that is why we have decided to continue restricting the work that Bulgarian and Romanians can do here," said Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas in a statement.

Britain imposed restrictions on work for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens, as EU states can for a several-year transition period, when the two countries joined the European Union last year.

Low-skilled Bulgarians and Romanians may work under a quota system in food processing industries and agriculture, while skilled migrants only get jobs that cannot be filled by residents.

The government made its decision following recommendations by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), an independent body.

It had been asked to look at three options — removing, relaxing or retaining the current restrictions.

The MAC also advised there should be no increase in the quota of workers for food processing and that no new schemes for other sectors should be set up.

It did recommend a slight increase in the number of temporary agricultural workers.

"This is a prudent decision that will ensure the UK continues to benefit from the positive economic contribution Bulgarian and Romanian workers make, while protecting British workers and making sure the numbers coming here are managed in the national interest," Woolas added.

Immigration has become a hot issue in Britain after it became the only big European Union country to let citizens of new member states work without restriction when the bloc added 10 mainly Eastern European members in 2004.