UK Plans Stricter Rules for Settlement: Longer Wait & Higher English Requirements
📌 What Happened?
The new UK Home Secretary, ShabanaMahmood, has announced plans to make Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) also known as permanent settlement in the UK much tougher to get.
Currently, most people can apply for ILR after 5 years of living in the UK if they meet basic requirements. But the government wants to extend this period to 10 years and add stricter conditions.
🔑 Proposed Changes to ILR
- Longer Wait Time:
- Standard qualifying period may increase from 5 years → 10 years.
- Some exceptions for early settlement if someone contributes a lot (e.g., high-skilled job, community service).
- New Tests & Conditions:
Applicants for ILR may need to prove:- Stable work and National Insurance contributions.
- Not receiving benefits.
- High standard of English (unclear yet what level).
- No criminal record.
- Evidence of volunteering / community contribution.
- Tougher Rules:
- If someone isn’t contributing enough, they may have to wait longer than 10 years.
- In some cases, they could be barred from ILR completely.
📌 Wider Immigration Changes (from the May 2025 White Paper)
- Graduate Route: May be shortened from 2 years → 18 months.
- Universities: Stricter visa compliance rules; refusal thresholds cut in half.
- International Student Levy: A proposed tax on student tuition fees. Experts warn this could reduce enrolments and cost the UK economy £2.2 billion over 5 years.
🗣 Why This Matters
- For migrants, especially students and workers, settling in the UK will now be harder and slower.
- The government’s aim is to ensure that only those who are working, contributing, and integrating (via English and volunteering) can stay permanently.
- There’s still uncertainty about what level of English will be required and how volunteering will be assessed.
👉 In short: The UK is moving towards a “contribution-based immigration system”, where simply living in the country is not enough for settlement you must also work, pay taxes, know English well, and give back to the community.
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