Some legal immigrants in the UK may have to face up to 20 years of wait before acquiring permanent settled status amid the ongoing migration crackdown, according to the BBC.
Pakistan-origin UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood once against reiterated in her statements to the House of Common that settling in the United Kingdom was “not a right but a privilege.”
As part of the now-introduced “earned settlement” provision, settlement in the UK will not be granted automatically to legal migrants after a fixed period. Mahmood and other officials’ efforts will now compel migrants to “earn” the same by showing proof of “sustained good conduct, contribution and integration,” as per the official UK government website.
Mahmood has since confirmed that the time period before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) will be doubled for most migrants.
As a result, the new settlement rules determine that the qualifying period for ILR will be extended from five to 10 years. This will impact an estimated population of 2.6 million who have come to the UK since 2021. However, those who have already got settlement will not be affected by these policy changes.
According to Home Office data, net migration added 2.6 million people to UK population between 2021 and 2024.
What is Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK?
According to the official UK government website, having ILR, also known as settlement, means that your stay in the UK is no longer limited to a particular time period. “If you have ILR or ILE and your home is in the UK you are regarded as settled in the UK,” it states.
ILR further allows one to work in the UK without restriction and avail other such benefits, bringing you a step closer to British citizenship.
UK settled status wait period extended – Who faces what?
As Mahmood firmly asserts migrants earn the right to settlement in the UK, the standard wait for visa holders will be extended to 10 years from five. However, even this is subject to change.
Legal migrants claiming benefits for less than 12 months will have to wait 15 years for settlement. Similarly, individuals who came to the UK using post-Brexit health and social care visas will have to face a 15-year wait as well.
On the other hand, legal immigrants taking benefits for over 12 months will now have to wait for 20 years for settlement, making it the longest in Europe.
On the flip side, there are also some reductions to the wait period in story for some others. Those earning £125,140 in the three years prior to their settlement applications will now face a reduction to three years. This time will be reduced to five years for those earning £50,270.
Pre-existing fast-track settlement routes for domestic abuse victims, resettled refugees and bereaved partners will stay the same. Moreover, those making “outsized contribution” to the United Kingdom will also have access to a quicker route.
National Health Service (NHS) doctors and nurses can also settle after five years. Entrepreneur and higher earners may earn their right to stay in the UK after just three years.
Additionally, volunteering and English language competency can also aid in bringing the wait period down.
The new devastation for legal migrants in the UK comes merely days after Shabana Mahmood threatened to imposed Donald Trump-style visa bans on three African countries – Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was proposed as a counter to the nations potentially failing to take back illegal migrants.
“In Britain, we play by the rules. When I said there would be penalties for countries that do not take back criminals and illegal immigrants, I meant it,” she said earlier. “My message to foreign governments today is clear: accept the return of your citizens or lose the privilege of entering our country.”
