The UK government has announced a new immigration policy that will require immigrants to live in the country for ten years before they can apply for permanent residency, unless they can prove they have made a “genuine and lasting contribution” to the economy and society. This change is part of a broader overhaul of the immigration system, which will also significantly limit the ability of employers to hire foreign workers for low-skilled jobs.
The proposed abolition of the five-year automatic settlement rule is part of a comprehensive reform aimed at reducing the overall number of immigrants entering the UK. As part of these changes, the recruitment of overseas healthcare workers will be halted in the coming months. This measure will be part of a white paper outlining policies that are expected to dramatically lower the country’s immigration levels.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that these changes would reduce the number of low-skilled workers entering the UK by about 50,000 per year. Her broader plan aims to substantially reduce net immigration, though no specific target numbers have been set.
Recent statistics show that net immigration to the UK reached 728,000 by mid-2024. However, the Office for Budget Responsibility predicts that due to visa restrictions imposed by the previous Conservative government, immigration numbers could halve in the medium term.
The UK Reform Party, which has a strong anti-immigration stance, recently won significant victories in local elections, boosting its position in polls ahead of the Labour Party. This shift follows tougher immigration measures implemented by the government.
The Home Office is expected to release a technical assessment outlining how each of the new policies will reduce immigration, though it will not provide an analysis of the potential economic costs of these changes.
Cooper argued that record-high immigration numbers have contributed to sluggish economic growth by reducing investment in British workers, thereby undermining productivity. The government’s reform measures, which also include stricter English language requirements for all work, family, and study visa routes, are intended to ensure that immigrants are “committed to integration” and “earn the right to stay.”
While Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will argue that the new rules provide a fast-track route for high-skilled immigrants—such as nurses, doctors, engineers, and AI leaders—the government’s broader changes will require other migrants to remain in the UK for ten years before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain and eligibility for benefits or citizenship.
During this ten-year period, immigrants will likely have to pay visa fees and contribute to the National Health Service (NHS), with the total cost for a family reaching tens of thousands of pounds. Those on employer-sponsored visas may also face barriers to career advancement.
Researchers and immigration activists argue that the longer settlement route will have counterproductive effects. They claim that it will not significantly change immigration levels but will make it harder for immigrants to integrate into society. Mary Morris, Deputy Director at the think tank IPPR, stated, “The result will be more people living and working in unstable conditions, disrupting their integration and increasing exploitation, with little effect on reducing immigration.”
The government is also facing criticism from anti-immigration activists. Reform UK’s Deputy Leader Richard Tice believes the public is angry about the number of both legal and illegal immigrants, a sentiment he believes contributed to his party’s success in local elections.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philip considers the adjustments to work visas as “just 50,000 small changes,” arguing that these measures are far from sufficient. He acknowledged that the Conservative government had acted “too late” in addressing the immigration issue, as the number of immigrants peaked at over 900,000 by mid-2023 during the last Conservative administration.
Cooper also confirmed that international students will still be allowed to remain in the UK after completing their studies, but universities that rely on tuition fees will need to take stronger actions to ensure compliance with visa rules.
The closure of the care worker visa route is likely to cause concern for adult social care providers, who are already struggling with long-term staff shortages. Local authorities, facing financial constraints, have been unable to increase wages, exacerbating the problem.
According to Skills for Care, the number of care vacancies in England for the 2023-24 year stood at 131,000, accounting for over 8% of all positions. Cooper emphasized that current care workers’ visas could be extended, and the industry would continue to recruit from the 10,000 immigrants already in the UK on care worker visas, ensuring that these workers meet the necessary standards for their roles.
Related Topics:
