UK’s Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced that the millions of people who arrived in the UK from 2021, will now have to wait 10 years for permanent settlement.
Mahmood said settling in the UK is “not a right, but a privilege, and it must be earned”.
But she said that was “not the case today”, with permanent settlement, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) granted “almost automatically after five years in the country”, granting migrants access to benefits.
ILR allows someone to live in the UK permanently, work without restrictions and access public services. It is also a key step towards British citizenship.
New rules that mean migrants can only become eligible for benefits and social housing if they are granted British citizenship, rather than settled status.
She said those who were applying for indefinite leave to remain must have no criminal record, speak English to A-level standards and have no debt.
And she said the government was also proposing that those who speak English to a degree-level standard could qualify for a nine-year path to settlement.
Those paying the higher rate of tax could qualify at five years, and those on the top rate could qualify after three, the same as those on global talent visas.
Careers that lead to quicker permanent settlement
Those who work in a public service, including doctors, teachers, and nurses, would qualify after five years, while those who volunteer could qualify at between five and seven years.
Family members will not gain automatic status when the main applicant qualifies. Children who came to the UK under the age of 18 may settle with parents, but older dependants could face separate requirements.
Earlier this year, the government announced plans to end permanent refugee status and replace it with temporary status subject to review every 30 months.
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