The UK Government will tighten immigration policy and intends to turn residency in the country into a “privilege,” not a right, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced during a press conference ahead of the release of the so-called “white paper,” which outlines the executive’s new political direction, The Guardian reports.
“We will enforce stricter rules in all areas of immigration—work, family, and study—to gain tighter control. We will apply the law more rigorously than ever and reduce migrant numbers,” Starmer stated.
He criticized the previous system for encouraging the employment of low-paid foreign workers instead of investing in the domestic workforce. Between June 2022 and June 2023, net migration to the UK reached nearly 1 million, four times higher than in 2019. Although numbers later dropped to 728,000, the migration surge significantly impacted the healthcare system (NHS), education, and the housing market. Starmer called the current model “flawed” and promised to reform it.
He announced the following key measures:
- The government will extend the residency period required for permanent stay (ILR) from 5 to 10 years, with exceptions only for individuals who make a “significant contribution” to the economy and society.
- The authorities will require all migrants, including adult family members, to speak basic conversational English.
- The system will prioritize highly skilled migrants, especially in shortage occupations such as doctors, engineers, and IT specialists.
- Officials will impose restrictions on temporary visas and ban foreign workers in the social care sector.
- The government will tie the Skilled Worker visa to a higher education requirement.
- Authorities will shorten the post-study work period for international students from 2 years to 1.5 years and impose financial penalties on employers and universities that violate immigration rules.
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Starmer emphasized that the government will not introduce migration quotas, arguing that all previous attempts failed. The government will present the reform package for parliamentary approval, where the Labour Party holds a comfortable majority. If Parliament passes them, the new measures could take effect in 2026.