British Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood has confirmed plans to double the qualifying period for most migrant workers seeking permanent settlement in the United Kingdom, extending the wait from five to 10 years.
However, Mahmood has eased proposed restrictions on social care workers following opposition from some lawmakers within the governing party.
The reforms come as Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government seeks to balance public demands for lower immigration with its goal of promoting economic growth.
Following a lengthy consultation process, Mahmood announced that most workers will now have to complete 10 years of residency before qualifying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). High earners will be eligible to apply after three years, while public service professionals, including doctors, nurses and teachers, will retain the five-year qualifying period.
ILR allows migrants to live, work and study in the UK without immigration restrictions and is an important step towards obtaining British citizenship.
Mahmood said the changes would mean around 500,000 people would have to wait longer than five years to secure permanent settlement. She added that the reforms were expected to save billions of pounds in public benefits.
When the proposals were initially announced last year, migrants in lower-skilled roles who had entered the UK through health and social care visa routes faced a potential wait of up to 15 years before becoming eligible for settlement.
