politics and government - In a bold and controversial move that could reshape Britain's immigration landscape, Reform UK has announced plans to eliminate migrants' right to permanent settlement in the UK, marking one of the mo...
st significant proposed changes to the country's immigration system in decades.
The centerpiece of the policy would abolish Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), a status that currently allows migrants to live and work permanently in the UK after five years of residence. Instead, migrants would need to reapply for visas every five years and meet heightened criteria, including higher salary thresholds and enhanced English language requirements.
Particularly contentious is the retroactive application of these changes, which would affect hundreds of thousands of current UK residents who have already established lives in the country. The policy would not apply to EU nationals protected under the European Union Withdrawal Agreement, but would impact other EU citizens and non-EU migrants.
Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage framed the policy as a necessary response to what he terms the 'Boriswave' - referring to the 3.8 million people who entered the UK after Brexit under policies implemented during Boris Johnson's premiership. According to current DWP figures, 213,666 people with ILR are claiming Universal Credit benefits, though about a third of these claimants are employed.
The party's proposed alternative system would emphasize entrepreneurial and investor routes for migration, introducing a new Acute Skills Shortage Visas (ASSV) scheme that would require employers to train one domestic worker for every foreign worker hired. The waiting period for UK citizenship would also be extended from six to seven years.
Critical response has been swift and widespread. Labour's Rachel Reeves dismissed the projected £234 billion savings as lacking factual basis, while the Liberal Democrats warned the policy would cause economic disruption. The Conservative government, while also pursuing stricter immigration controls, has labeled Reform's approach as 'half-baked and unworkable.'
The centerpiece of the policy would abolish Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), a status that currently allows migrants to live and work permanently in the UK after five years of residence. Instead, migrants would need to reapply for visas every five years and meet heightened criteria, including higher salary thresholds and enhanced English language requirements.
Particularly contentious is the retroactive application of these changes, which would affect hundreds of thousands of current UK residents who have already established lives in the country. The policy would not apply to EU nationals protected under the European Union Withdrawal Agreement, but would impact other EU citizens and non-EU migrants.
Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage framed the policy as a necessary response to what he terms the 'Boriswave' - referring to the 3.8 million people who entered the UK after Brexit under policies implemented during Boris Johnson's premiership. According to current DWP figures, 213,666 people with ILR are claiming Universal Credit benefits, though about a third of these claimants are employed.
The party's proposed alternative system would emphasize entrepreneurial and investor routes for migration, introducing a new Acute Skills Shortage Visas (ASSV) scheme that would require employers to train one domestic worker for every foreign worker hired. The waiting period for UK citizenship would also be extended from six to seven years.
Critical response has been swift and widespread. Labour's Rachel Reeves dismissed the projected £234 billion savings as lacking factual basis, while the Liberal Democrats warned the policy would cause economic disruption. The Conservative government, while also pursuing stricter immigration controls, has labeled Reform's approach as 'half-baked and unworkable.'