LIVERPOOL, England: Britain is preparing to tighten the criteria for migrants applying for permanent residency, with new proposals requiring applicants to prove their value to society, Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood will announce on September 29.
The move reflects growing political pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, as the populist Reform UK party dominates the immigration debate and gains momentum in opinion polls.
At present, most migrants can apply for “indefinite leave to remain” after five years of residency, a status granting them the right to stay in Britain permanently. Under the new proposals, however, applicants would only qualify if they meet tougher conditions including proof of paying social security contributions, maintaining a clean criminal record, and not relying on welfare benefits.
Ms Mahmood, speaking at the Labour Party conference in her first address as interior minister, will outline further potential requirements such as demonstrating fluency in English and providing evidence of active community service or volunteering. A formal consultation on the proposals is expected to be launched later in 2025.
The plans come as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has floated an even stricter alternative: abolishing indefinite leave to remain altogether and replacing it with renewable five-year work visas.
Prime Minister Starmer, in a sharp rebuke on September 28, accused Reform of pushing what he called a “racist policy” that would trigger mass deportations and “tear this country apart.”
Immigration remains a defining issue in British politics. While Brexit was fueled by promises to control migration, net arrivals have surged to record levels in the years since Britain left the European Union.
-WNN
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