LONDON, UK – Britain could soon tighten the rules on how migrants qualify for permanent residency, as the Labour government faces mounting pressure from the surging Reform UK party.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood is expected to announce on Monday that ministers are considering requiring applicants for indefinite leave to remain—the status that grants migrants the right to settle permanently—to prove their “value to society.”
Currently, most migrants can apply after five years of living in the UK. Under the proposed changes, eligibility would depend on whether applicants have consistently paid social security contributions, avoided criminal convictions, and refrained from claiming welfare benefits.
Mahmood, delivering her first speech to the Labour Party conference since taking office, will also signal that applicants may need to demonstrate a high standard of English and provide evidence of volunteering in their communities. A public consultation on the proposals will open later this year.
The plan underscores Labour’s shift toward tougher immigration policies, a response to Reform UK’s rising popularity.
Nigel Farage’s party has vowed to scrap indefinite leave to remain altogether and replace it with a five-year renewable work visa.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pushed back, accusing Reform of promoting a “racist policy” of mass deportations that would “tear this country apart.”
Immigration remains a highly charged political issue in Britain. The promise of tighter border controls was central to the Brexit vote in 2016, but net migration has reached record highs since the UK left the European Union.
