UK to tighten rules for permanent residency, require high English proficiency

The British government is set to consider stricter requirements for migrants seeking to settle permanently in the country, including proof of their value to society, Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood will announce on Monday, according to Reuters.  

The proposal forms part of a broader government effort to respond to growing support for the populist Reform UK party, which has made immigration a central issue, prompting Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party to adopt tougher policies.

At present, most migrants are eligible to apply for ‘indefinite leave to remain’ after five years of residence in the UK, granting them the right to live permanently in the country, reported the news agency.  

In her first address to the Labour Party conference as interior minister, Mahmood will outline that changes are under consideration so that eligibility for this status would depend on paying social security contributions, maintaining a clean criminal record and refraining from claiming benefits.

High standard of English

According to extracts of her speech released by Labour, Mahmood will also propose that applicants demonstrate a high standard of English and a history of volunteering in their communities. She will add that a consultation on these proposals will be launched later this year.

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage and currently ahead in opinion polls, last week said it was exploring the removal of ‘indefinite leave to remain’ and replacing it with a five-year renewable work visa.

Starmer responded by accusing Reform UK of seeking a “racist policy” involving mass deportations that would “tear this country apart”.

Immigration remains a key issue for voters in Britain. The level of arrivals was a decisive factor in the 2016 vote to leave the European Union, yet net migration has reached record highs since Brexit.