JUST 30,000 skilled EU workers a year should be allowed into Britain, claims a campaign group.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd will today study the tough permit-based immigration plan.
The Migration Watch UK think tank claims the move would keep out unskilled workers, who make up 80 per cent of all new arrivals from the EU.
An average of 25,000 skilled workers a year have come to Britain since 2006.
A cap would slash 100,000 unskilled workers a year from the out-of-control netmigration total of 330,000.
Migration Watch UK vice chairman Alp Mehmet called for “a sensible limit on skilled EU migration.”
He said: “Closing our doors to low-skilled workers is essential to reduce the scale of immigration and restore confidence in its control.”
But campaign group Open Britain, which wants close ties with the EU, warned such a move would “damage the economy.”
Figures published by the Financial Conduct Authority yesterday show that 5,500 UK-registered firms rely on EU “passports” to conduct financial business across the bloc.
The banking industry wants PM Theresa May to include continued access to “passporting” rights in any Brexit deal.
The City warned losing access would slash 20 per cent, or £9billion, off its revenue.