Fresh on the heels of President Trump’s decree to charge H1-B visa holders in the US, the vast majority of whom are Indian nationals, the US leader’s chief acolyte in the UK, Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party have announced broad new measures that are threatening hundreds of thousands of Indian migrants in the UK.
Farage, who the polls suggest will sweep to victory at the next general election, unveiled his party’s immigration manifesto on Monday, tapping into a groundswell of concern among the British public struggling with long-underfunded public services and anxiety about social cohesion.
Welfare will be for British citizens only. pic.twitter.com/5KT0lFVk8t
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) September 22, 2025
Tough Measures For ILR Applicants
European immigration, especially from Eastern Europe, was at the heart of Farage’s decades-long Brexit project, a project that has turned into an unmitigated economic disaster for the UK.
Reform UK, his rebranded Brexit Party, is now turning its attention to long-term migrants of other nationalities in the UK — predominantly the Indian Diaspora.
Among the measures announced is a plan to abolish the right of migrants to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), a pathway chosen by many Indian migrants to the UK. Under the system, migrants can apply for ILR after five years of living and working in the UK under a work visa, which grants them the right to live, study, and work in the UK permanently.
Under the new plans, ILR holders will be required to apply for a five-year visa with much tougher criteria, including English language and other skills, as well as financial resources. Crucially, this would not only apply to new ILR applicants but would be retrospective and impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
Indians Opting For PR Rather Than British Citizenship
In many ways, the policy is even more insidious than President Trump’s move against H1-B visa holders because many Indian nationals in the UK opt to become permanent residents rather than acquire British citizenship.
Many, despite their partners and children becoming British citizens, have chosen to remain permanent residents because they refused to give up their Indian citizenship. They are universally proud of their Indian identity and proud members of the global Indian Diaspora.
Another reason many Indian migrants choose to remain permanent residents under the ILR scheme is that the Indian government refuses to allow dual citizenship. As a result, there are hundreds of thousands of Indian migrants in the UK, enjoying the best of both worlds, living and contributing to a vibrant British society while also retaining the essence of being an Indian.
Farrage’s Take On ILR Scheme
Farage has described the ILR scheme as a “scam” and that immigrants only apply for ILR so that they can apply and enjoy various welfare schemes, despite widespread scientific and academic research which shows that immigrants are net contributors to economic activity everywhere in the world. Research has also clearly shown that a vast majority of the abuse of Britain’s welfare system is carried out by Britons rather than immigrants.
In an article in the Daily Mail, Farage claimed that many ILR holders are “not doctors, engineers or entrepreneurs”, touting his frequently repeated talking point about migrants mostly being unskilled and dependent on government handouts. He added, “Many are young and old dependents who followed family members here. They are now burden on the welfare state”.
Immigrants The Most Successful Communities In UK
Contrary to his sentiments, immigrants — especially South Asian migrants — are among the most successful communities in the UK and work right across the economic spectrum; from the carers who look after Britain’s ageing population through the doctors, nurses and other medical staff who prop up the National Health Service, all the way to high-flyers in IT and Finance.
And, of course, the Indian Diaspora provided Britain’s first non-white Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.
Farage’s own ‘Head of Government Efficiency’ Zia Yusuf, who unveiled the new immigration manifesto alongside Farage, is himself a successful businessman and son of Sri Lankan migrants who arrived in the UK in the early 1980s.
Reform expects migrants to more than pay their way, do not commit crimes and speak English. pic.twitter.com/22RGKBSHV5
— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) September 22, 2025
The pronouncements have caused widespread unease and consternation.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said Farage’s claim that abolishing the ILR scheme would help save a staggering £234 billion had “no basis in reality.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s press secretary accused Farage of “fostering division.” In a statement, he said, “Every week Nigel Farage sets out unrealistic, unworkable and unfunded plans. Reform UK don’t want to tackle the issues facing the country, they want to foster division.”
Some Indians In UK Taking Steps, Some Being Cautious
Anil Verma, who has lived in the UK for several decades, agrees. “My father always used to say that one day all immigrants will be thrown out. Make sure you have a home in India to go back to and savings. It’s happening as we speak. I don’t trust these ‘Goras’, most of them are racists”, he told ABP Live.
Others are already planning big steps. Another ILR candidate, Anita, said, “I have been on ILR for a few years now, and after Nigel Farage’s announcement, I have decided to apply for my citizenship this week itself. It helps that my husband and children are British citizens.”
Manisha Sharma, though, is philosophical about the whole thing. “I think it’s a publicity gimmick,” Sharma said. “Banning ILR will have far-reaching consequences for Britain and the British economy in particular. I do agree that immigration reforms are needed, but a blanket ban on ILR is not the answer, and even Nigel Farage knows that,” she added.
