POLITICIANS have sought to reassure language schools and their students from the European Union about the impact of Brexit.

The vote for Britain to leave the EU has thrown into doubt our immigration policy towards EU citizens once the country eventually has left the union.

Caps on numbers or other restrictions could have a huge impact on Sussex’s thriving language school industry, which teaches thousands of EU students every year.

The Green Party’s Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas, who campaigned for Remain, told The Argus: “I believe the free movement is a good thing for Britain, and I will continue to fight for it.

“Specifically I believe that Brighton and Hove benefits from students from the EU being able to come here to study.

“I’ll be pressing the Government to give our language schools reassurance as soon as possible – they are a key part of our local economy and there’s no reason at all for taking any action which threatens them.”

It comes as students at the British Study Centres English school in Cromwell Road, Hove, spoke to The Argus about their reaction to Brexit, telling how many people had apologised to them for the result.

“I was shocked and sad,” said Daniela Reuter, 29, from Germany. “I really love this country and I am thinking about coming to work here at some time in my life.”

Ms Lucas’s comments were broadly echoed by Eastbourne’s Tory MP Caroline Ansell, a member of the newly formed parliamentary group for international students.

She said: “On an international level, we are looking to boost our numbers so I can't imagine any scenario where we would look to limit EU nationals coming to us to study as they have for many, many years - long before Brexit.”

Ms Ansell, who voted for the UK to leave the EU, added: “Our language schools - one recently celebrated their 80th anniversary - have a vitally important place in the life of the town and its economy.

“There is no reason to believe that there will be a negative effect on language schools and indeed there is reason to believe that Brexit offers up new opportunities for these businesses as well as many others."

Several other Sussex MPs contacted by The Argus on the issue did not return requests for comment.

The question marks over EU students’ future have been raised amid a wider recent debate over the status of EU nationals already living here.

On Saturday (July 9) Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond called for early talks in order to guarantee their status.

Ms Ansell said: “It is absolutely my view that the status of EU nationals who have made their lives here should not change. Any changes that are made as a result of Brexit should not be applied retrospectively.”

Ms Lucas said: “EU nationals must be given an immediate and unequivocal guarantee that their right to live and work in Britain is protected. Leaving people in limbo simply isn’t acceptable."

IT’S STRANGE AND SAD TO THINK WE’LL NEED A VISA TO VISIT ENGLAND

THEIR passion for England and their desire to learn the language is undimmed.

But students at the British Study Centres’ school in Hove are worried the Brexit vote means some of their hopes and dreams may now have to change.

On the morning after the referendum, the head of the language school toured the classes, ashen-faced.

“Our school director came and apologised and took a picture with the European flag,” said student Jasmin Fiala, 16, from Germany.

The choice made by millions of Britons to leave the 40-year union has brought shock and sadness, both for the students’ own futures and for the break-up of an imperfect family.

“I would have liked England to remain, it would be easier to live here,” said Arturo Valentini, 17, from the Adriatic coastal city of Rimini.

Like others in a class of advanced English students who spoke to The Argus, he hopes to live and work here one day.

He said: “I love the people.

“They are polite and they are open-minded, they accept you wherever you are from. There are not a lot of countries where that is the case.”

He said Brexit has not changed his view on that open-mindedness.

But all the students’ plans have been thrown into doubt by the UK voting to leave the EU, threatening to tear up immigration policy towards EU nationals.

“I hope they will change their minds about the referendum,” said Jasmin.

“That is what I still hope for because I am trying to plan my future here. I want to live here and work here and it would be a bit difficult going back to Germany seeing my family.”

Eva Vitagliano, 26, from Italy, lamented the loss of the freedom to roam that she grew up with.

She said: “For Britain it is not so bad. Probably you will find the strength to move on and you can do it, I think you are a strong state.

“But when you live in Europe you develop the feeling of being in a family so you grow up thinking you can move the way you want and probably this is something that will change.

“English is the first language you study at school and it is quite normal to think you will go abroad and study the language.

“It is quite strange to think you will need a visa to do this and I think it is sad.”

Even for those not thinking of careers or travel, the vote has caused anxiety.

Stefanie Eichwald, 27, from Germany, said: “I am worried that if one country starts leaving maybe others will follow and then the whole idea of Europe and the EU crashes and collapses.

“It would be such a great pity because I think the idea of the EU is great.

“Germany also has parties who are for leaving the EU and they could argue ‘oh, the UK also left so why should we stay, let’s do the same’.”

Ms Vitagliano was less worried about the domino effect hitting her country, saying Italy would probably stay even if there were a referendum.

She said: “You can do what you want if you are alone but it is more difficult to stay together so it is a choice of which do you value more.”

The European students are learning English alongside students from all over the world, including South Korea, Brazil, and EU-outsider Switzerland.

“The referendum was a big issue for us,” said Aram Cho, 26, from South Korea.

Indeed, a South Korean TV station filmed The Argus EU debate. “Mostly we are worried about the economy.”

Swiss student Florida Mjekiqi, 19, heard both sides of the debate within hours of stepping off the plane in England.

She said: “The man who drove me from the airport told me he thought it was a good idea that this happened because of all the poor countries who are in the EU the UK does not want to pay any more to get their economy working and also with the refugee crisis.

“Then when I came here for school, it was totally different.”

There have been reports in Brighton and elsewhere in the country of post- Brexit hostility towards foreigners but the students had no experience of such problems.

“It was the complete opposite,” said Daniela Reuter, 29, from Germany.

“We were on the street looking on the map and then immediately people came and asked, ‘how can I help you?’ And did the school’s director need to apologise to them for what had happened?

“No,” said Jasmin. “But it was nice.”