Romanians and Bulgarians face immigration curbs

· EU entry will not mean open door, minister says
· Restrictions on workers opposed by Foreign Office

Restrictions will be placed on the rights of immigrants from Romania and Bulgaria to work in Britain when those countries join the EU next year, despite objections from the Foreign Office and Labour backbenchers, senior ministers signalled yesterday.

The government does not want to see a repeat of the freedoms allowed to workers from Poland when it joined the EU in 2004. John Reid, the home secretary, believes a hardening of public opinion on immigration, combined with a new push by the Conservatives on immigration, is reinforcing the case for restrictions. Officially the Home Office held the line yesterday that a decision would be taken later this year.