The new rules that migrate to migrants expect more to qualify for a permanent agreement in the United Kingdom will apply to people who are already in the country, according to government plans.
On Monday, the government announced that immigrants would now typically have to live in the United Kingdom for 10 years before the right to stay here indefinitely, twice the current period of five years.
It was not clear that this would apply to the approximately 1.5 million foreign workers who moved to the United Kingdom since 2020.
The BBC understands that a document published next week will make it clear that the Government is prepared to apply the 10 -year qualification period to those who are already in the United Kingdom regarding the new visa applicants.
The measure will be subject to a public consultation.
A source of the government said that the interior secretary, Yvette Cooper, had for some time the bone worried that, according to the current five -year process, there is a significant increase in settlement and citizenship requests in the coming years of girls, reaffirming the increase in immigration.
A policy document published Monday said it would continue to be a five -year qualification period for dependents not in the United Kingdom or British citizens.
There will also be shorter periods of rating for people who can demonstrate that they have contributed to the “economy and society” of the United Kingdom.
The announcement was part of a broader package of measures established on Monday to reduce legal migration.
Net migration, the number of people who come to the United Kingdom except the number that left, rose to a 906000 record in June 2023, and last year was 728,000.
Some labor parliamentarians have raised Conerns about the possibility of longer gongification periods for the agreement could be applied to the people who are already in the United Kingdom.
Florence Eshalomi, who presides over common homes, communities and the local government committee, told parliamentarians that the lack of clarity had left some of the “understandable concerned” constituents, and one has it considering leaving the United Kingdom ”
In response, Cooper told parliamentarians that the government would establish more details later this year, with a consultation to follow.
The Migration Observatory said that a 10 -year route to the settlement would cause the United Kingdom to be more restrictive than most other high -income countries, but comparable to Switzerland and Japan.
He said it was unlikely that the measure significantly affect migration levels, but would generate more visa tasks for the Ministry of Interior because people with temporary visas pay rates.
Migrants would also face longer periods without the rights that come with a permanent agreement, which include the right to live, work and study in the United Kingdom during the time you want, and request benefits.
Permanent settlement can also be used to request British citizenship.
Enny Choudhury, co-legal director of the Joint Council for the Charity of the Welfare of Immigrants, said the measure was “a cruel bantryal.”
“These are our neighbors.
“We need a system that sacrifices people a clear, affordable and compassionate route towards settlement.”
