Migrants hoping to secure permanent residency in the UK will face stricter requirements under new plans to be unveiled by Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood on Monday.
Currently, individuals with family ties who have lived in the UK for five years, or those legally residing in the country for 10 years on any visa, can qualify for “indefinite leave to remain.” This status allows them to live, work, study, claim benefits, and eventually apply for citizenship.
But under the new proposals, applicants would need to meet tougher conditions. They must hold a job, pay social security contributions, claim no benefits, have a clean criminal record, and take part in community service. Proficiency in English will also be required.
Mahmood is set to outline the plans at the ruling Labour Party’s annual conference, with a public consultation expected later this year. She will describe herself as a “tough” minister, stressing that immigration reforms are vital to maintain public trust.
The announcement follows pressure from the opposition Reform Party, which has surged in national polls. Reform has proposed scrapping “indefinite leave to remain” altogether, instead requiring migrants to reapply for visas every five years — including those who already hold permanent residency.
Labour rejected the proposal, calling it extreme. “These measures draw a clear dividing line between the Labour government and Reform, whose recent announcement would force workers, who have been contributing to this country for decades, to leave their homes and families,” the party said in a statement.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Reform’s plan as “racist” and warned it would “tear the country apart.”
Immigration remains a key political issue in the UK. Mahmood is expected to tell delegates that unless Labour delivers credible reforms, “working people will turn away from us and seek solace in the false promises” of Reform leader Nigel Farage.
Finance Minister Rachel Reeves will also address the conference, outlining plans to “invest in Britain’s renewal” and create more opportunities for young people to work.
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