The United Kingdom has announced major changes to its immigration settlement rules, requiring most migrants to wait 10 years before applying for permanent residency, while allowing eligible health and care workers to retain a five-year route.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the reforms on Monday, November 2, following months of debate and criticism from trade unions and members of the governing Labour Party.
Under the changes, the standard qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) will increase from five to 10 years. ILR allows migrants to live and work in the UK permanently and provides access to certain public benefits.
However, the government has introduced concessions for some workers in the health and care sector after concerns that longer waiting periods could worsen staff shortages and affect essential services.
Eligible care workers will be able to apply for settlement after five years if they meet conditions including strong English-language skills, a clean criminal record and a record of National Insurance contributions.
Some high earners will qualify for a faster route. Migrants earning more than £125,000 annually, as well as people holding certain eligible visas, may be able to apply for permanent settlement after three years.
The toughest restrictions will apply to people who enter the UK illegally by crossing the English Channel in small boats. Under the new framework, some could face waiting periods of up to 30 years before qualifying for settlement.
Mahmood said the changes were designed to make permanent residency depend more closely on migrants’ economic contributions and compliance with immigration rules.
The announcement follows concerns within the government that large numbers of migrants who arrived after Brexit would soon become eligible for permanent settlement. The government estimates that around 350,000 lower-skilled workers and their dependants could qualify in the coming years.
The reforms have also been shaped by political pressure over immigration, with Reform UK calling for stricter controls and the Labour government facing demands to reduce migration.
However, the original proposals attracted criticism from unions and Labour politicians, particularly over the potential impact on foreign care workers already living and working in Britain.
Some businesses and organisations in the care sector have warned that extending settlement waiting periods could make it harder to recruit and retain overseas workers at a time when employers already face staffing shortages.
The government has therefore adjusted its approach to allow eligible care workers to retain a five-year settlement route, rather than face the longer waiting period initially proposed.
The new rules represent a significant change to the UK’s permanent residency system, with different qualifying periods depending on migrants’ earnings, occupations, immigration routes and circumstances.