Labour migration policy post-Brexit: The contested meaning of regulation by old and new actors

Abstract

The end of free movement of labour from the European Union represents an unprecedented form of re-regulation of the UK labour market. This study explores how old and new actors engage with the sphere of migration, arguing that not only their economic interests but also different political agendas and meanings of regulation shape dialogue on migration regulation post-Brexit. Our findings suggest moving away from a unilateral, positive view of regulation in work and employment as well as to overcome any artificial distinction between the economic and the social implications of international migration.