CENTRAL Devon MP and Treasury Minister Mel Stride has described the Government’s plan for a new skills-based immigration system, which marks the end of free movement, as the “right move” for the country after Brexit.

The system will be built around what people can contribute, rather than where they come from.

There will be a new visa route for skilled workers, no cap for professions such as doctors and engineers and no limit on the number of international students coming to our world class universities – who will be able to stay for up to 12 months after graduation to find employment.

Mr Stride said: “Having full control over who comes into our country is one of the main positives of leaving the European Union and the new immigration system being proposed will mean everyone needs permission before they arrive.

"By not capping key professions, international students or the number of high-skilled workers, we are making a clear statement that Britain will welcome the best and the brightest without hesitation.

"But to ensure net migration is held to sustainable levels the numbers of low-skilled workers will be reduced. Influxes of low-skilled labour have been proven to have a negative impact on the wages of the lowest paid workers and managing this more carefully going forward should help drive up wages for the least well-off.”

The new system will end the use of national ID cards as a form of travel documentation for EU citizens, introduce an Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme to allow information to be collected at an earlier stage and allow citizens from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, USA, Singapore and South Korea to use e-gates to pass through the border on arrival.