Britain has announced a major change to its immigration rules under which most foreign workers will have to wait 10 years instead of five to qualify for permanent residency, known as indefinite leave to remain, while refugees arriving on small boats could wait up to 30 years. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the change in Parliament on Monday.
The new rules take effect next year and will also apply to workers already in the country. People earning more than £50,000 a year will still be able to apply after five years and those earning over £125,000 after three, while everyone else will be placed on the 10-year path. The median UK salary is about £39,000.
"Settlement should not be automatic. It should be earned," Mahmood told MPs, adding that those who contribute most will settle fastest. After strong opposition from unions and within the governing Labour Party, care workers were given a concession: those who meet their visa conditions and earn at least £25,000 a year can still settle after five years.
Refugees who come through the government's safe and legal routes will qualify after five years; for other refugees the standard wait becomes 20 years, cut to 10 for those who work or study. Applicants will be refused if they have a criminal record, cannot speak English to a high standard, owe money to the government or lack at least three years of national insurance contributions.
The government says half a million people will settle later than they otherwise would, saving billions in benefits, and estimates about 1.4 million people will get settled status between 2026 and 2030. The decision follows a 12-week public consultation that drew more than 200,000 responses, and it will affect large numbers of foreign workers in Britain, including Pakistanis.