>I could argue that the hoops to jump through aren't that great Yes, it might have been doable. But you must also remember that such an ability is a privilege,

>I could argue that the hoops to jump through aren't that great Yes, it might have been doable. But you must also remember that such an ability is a privilege, not a right- if you lost your job, quit school, or whatever granted you your hypothetical residence permit ceased to be a thing, you'd have to leave and uproot your life. As a UK citizen EU member, you had a right to live and work anywhere in the EU. Post-Brexit, not so much.