UK Plans To Overhaul Immigration Policy. How It Will Affect Indians

In its biggest immigration shake-up in nearly half a century, the United Kingdom is planning to make some legal migrants wait up to 20 years before letting them apply to settle in Britain permanently. According to the Keir Starmer government, the new policy is designed to reward those who contribute and play by the rules.  

According to the proposals detailed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the new system will be designed to prioritise legal migrants who contribute to the economy and play by the rules. The reforms are seen as a way to try to ease pressure on Britain's overstretched public services amid efforts to reduce legal immigration.

Who Will Be Affected?

The Starmer government, earlier this year, announced it would double the permanent settlement qualifying period for migrants to 10 years, with reductions for those making a strong contribution to British life. The changes will apply to almost 2 million migrants who arrived in the UK from 2021, subject to consultation on transitional arrangements for borderline cases.

According to Mahmood, it will not apply to those with existing settled status who have made their lives in the European country.

Preference for Wealthy

The government proposal said that low-paid workers, such as the 616,000 people and their dependants who came on health and social care visas between 2022 and 2024, would be subject to a 15-year baseline. The route was closed earlier this year, with the government citing "widespread abuse".

The government also revealed that there will be penalties for immigrants who exploit the system, and therefore, migrants who rely on benefits will face a 20-year wait for settlement, quadruple the current period and the longest in Europe.

Illegal migrants and visa overstayers will now have to wait up to 30 years to settle, removing the prospect of long-term residence and security in the UK. 

In contrast, doctors and nurses working in the National Health Service (NHS) will be able to settle after 5 years. "To support economic growth, the brightest and best of international talent could have settlement fast-tracked - with high earners and entrepreneurs able to stay after just three years," the UK government said in a release.

The reforms will make Britain's settlement system by far the most controlled and selective in Europe.  

Benefits of Citizenship

The proposal also said that migrants will only become eligible for benefits and social housing if they first become British citizens, rather than upon being granted settlement, as is currently the case. 

Due to record-high levels of migration under the previous government, 1.6 million migrants are set to become eligible for settlement by 2030, and the move is expected to affect them all, including Indian migrants. The Indian population in the UK is the largest ethnic minority, with over 2 million people, and is the largest skilled migrant group.

Under the plans, which are now subject to a 12-week consultation and which Mahmood hopes will come into effect next April, transitional arrangements will be set out for those already in the UK, following a consultation. However, the intention is that anyone yet to be granted settlement would be subject to the contribution-based model once the new rules are in force, the government said. 

'Fairer To British People'

The government claimed the reforms would build a fairer immigration system for British people while doing the right thing by migrants who have made their lives in the country and contributed to the UK's economy and public services.  

"Migration will always be a vital part of Britain's story. But the scale of arrivals recently has been unprecedented.  To settle in this country forever is not a right, but a privilege. And it must be earned," Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said.

'Far-Right Rhetoric'

Under her reforms, anyone looking to remain indefinitely must have no criminal record, be able to speak English to a high standard, have no debts, and have paid a social security tax for three years.

Indefinite Leave to Remain allows someone to live, work and study in Britain without any restrictions and is a key route towards getting UK citizenship.

The hard-right Reform UK party, which has enjoyed double-digit leads over Labour in opinion polls for most of this year, has said it would scrap indefinite leave altogether.

Instead, it would require immigrants to reapply for visas every five years. This would apply to the hundreds of thousands of people who have already attained leave to remain.

Mahmood said Labour's plans would not affect people who already have settled status.

On Monday, she announced plans to cut protections for refugees and threatened visa bans for countries that refuse to take back irregular migrants, many of whom arrive in England on small boats.

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