Ministers are reportedly considering plans to limit benefits for new immigrants and give multi-year visas to migrant workers in key sectors as part of efforts to stick to the pledge to bring net inward migration down to the tens of thousands.

The plans being discussed by senior ministers could also see the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) advising the Government on how many visas should be issued to take the political sting out of the issue, according to The Sunday Times.

Under the proposals for a post-Brexit Britain with full control over immigration, new arrivals could be given five-year working visas if they have a job but be banned from claiming any benefits during that time.

The MAC would decide how many visas need to be issued for workers in key industries such as software engineering, health and social care, farming and hospitality, which are heavily reliant on immigrants.

The Prime Minister reportedly ordered ministers to make preparations for a new system at a meeting of the Cabinet's Brexit committee on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, Mrs May will also attempt to guarantee the rights of all EU nationals who are resident in the UK on the day she triggers Article 50 to begin exit negotiations, if she can get a similar agreement for British expats in Europe.

This is because Home Office lawyers have warned the Government would face a legal challenge if it made the cut-off date the day of last year's EU referendum, June 23, the report said.

A Government spokesman said: "We said we would use the opportunity of leaving the European Union to take control of our immigration system and we will do exactly that.

"Our plans will be published in due course but this is just speculation."

Meanwhile, Conservative Party chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin downplayed Brexit Secretary David Davis's suggestion it will take "years and years" to reduce immigration, saying his comments were "taken out of context".

But earlier this week, government sources insisted Mr Davis had not spoken out of turn when he used a visit to Estonia to say the door would not "suddenly shut" on EU migrants after withdrawal.

"In the hospitality sector, hotels and restaurants, in the social care sector, working in agriculture, it will take time - it will be years and years before we get British citizens to do those jobs," Bloomberg reported Mr Davis saying.

Sources said this would be in line with expected transitional arrangements after withdrawal.

But Sir Patrick told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show: "We have the figures towards the end of last week which have shown a reduction as far as net immigration to the country as far as the previous figures were concerned, so I think we need to see how that was done.

"And not take one small part of an interview completely out of context, because David is very committed to the Prime Minister's agenda, and that is actually ensuring that we hit control over our own borders, which was one of the biggest issues in the referendum."