LIVERPOOL: Britain plans to tighten permanent residency rules by requiring migrants to prove their societal value through English proficiency and civic contributions.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood announced applicants must demonstrate a high standard of English alongside other criteria to qualify for indefinite leave to remain.
The government initiative aims to counter the rising popularity of the populist Reform UK party, which has dominated immigration policy debates.
Mahmood stated during her Labour Party conference speech that permanent status would require social security payments, clean criminal records, and volunteer work.
“Time spent in this country alone is not enough,“ Mahmood told conference attendees in her first major speech as interior minister.
“You must earn the right to live in this country,“ she emphasized while outlining the new qualification standards.
A public consultation on the proposals will launch later this year alongside previously announced plans to extend the baseline qualifying period to ten years.
The minister confirmed some long-term residents could still be denied permanent status if they fail to meet the new requirements.
Reform UK recently proposed replacing indefinite leave to remain with five-year renewable work visas amid growing anti-immigration sentiment.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Reform of planning “racist policy” while clarifying he didn’t consider their supporters racist.
Legal experts expressed concerns that volunteer requirements would be difficult to assess and might discourage potential migrants.
Mahmood declared her willingness to face unpopularity to address small boat crossings bringing tens of thousands from Europe.
“We will have to question some of the assumptions and legal constraints that have lasted for a generation and more,“ she stated.
“Without control, we simply do not have the conditions in which our country can be open, tolerant and generous,“ the interior minister added.
Immigration remains a critical voter issue since the 2016 EU referendum, with net arrivals reaching record levels post-Brexit. – Reuters