Campaigners have urged the UK and European Union (EU) to take action after Rachel Reeves confirmed the government was working towards "an ambitious agreement on youth mobility".
In her speech at Labour conference in Liverpool, the Chancellor confirmed ministers were “working with the EU to secure for young people in Britain the maximum economic and cultural opportunities available through an ambitious agreement on youth mobility”.
Reeves also stressed that “those opportunities cannot and must not be the sole preserve of the wealthy and the fortunate”.
It came after her comments to the Times on Friday that allowing young people to live and work in Britain would boost the economy and reduce the need for tax rises in the budget.
Naomi Smith, Chief Executive of Best for Britain, said:
“The Chancellor is right that mobility schemes must be available to all young people, not just those from already well off backgrounds, which is why it’s vital that the government works to bring down the upfront application costs and financial requirements.
“These signals from the Chancellor must now be met with action from both the UK and EU.”