United Kingdom, UK, has revised its proposed immigration reforms, retaining plans to double the waiting period for most migrants seeking permanent settlement from five to 10 years while exempting hundreds of thousands of care workers from the extended requirement.
The revised policy, announced on Monday, follows opposition from trade unions and members of the governing Labour Party over the potential impact of the changes on low-paid foreign workers, particularly those employed in the care sector.
The British government had initially proposed last year that lower-skilled foreign workers should wait between 10 and 15 years before qualifying for permanent residency, officially known as indefinite leave to remain.
However, under the revised arrangements, hundreds of thousands of care workers will be exempt from the longer waiting period, retaining a five-year route to settlement, subject to eligibility requirements.
The exemption is significant for Nigerians working in Britain’s health and social care sector, which relies on foreign workers to fill staffing shortages.
Despite the concessions, the reforms will still double the standard qualifying period for permanent settlement from five to 10 years. The changes, expected to take effect next year, will also apply retrospectively to migrants already living and working in Britain.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the revised policy was designed to reward migrants who contribute to British society while imposing tougher conditions on those who violate immigration rules.
“Those who contribute most will settle fastest,” Mahmood said. “Those who don’t play by the rules will be refused or wait longer.”
Meanwhile, refugees who entered Britain illegally, particularly those who arrived by small boats, will face significantly longer waiting periods, potentially extending to decades.
The government estimates that despite the exemptions, the reforms will reduce by 500,000 the number of migrants who arrived in Britain from 2021 and would otherwise have qualified for permanent settlement by 2030. As many as 1.4 million migrants are still expected to qualify within the same period under the revised arrangements.