The UK Conservative party is proposing a raft of new immigration policies aimed at tightening access to permanent residency. Under these proposals, migrants who have claimed benefits or used social housing would be barred from obtaining indefinite leave to remain (ILR). In addition, the government is considering extending the ILR qualifying period from the current five years to ten years—a change that would delay access to British citizenship even further
The measures, unveiled by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, are designed to ensure that only those who contribute net fiscal benefits can settle permanently in the UK. Proponents argue that these changes will protect public resources and incentivise self-reliance, while critics warn that such policies risk creating a two-tier system that marginalizes vulnerable migrants and undermines social integration.
Given these proposals, it would be prudent for eligible migrants to apply for ILR and British citizenship at the earliest opportunity to secure their status before any changes come into effect.
For more detailed analysis on these proposals, please see the original article by the Financial Times: Tories vow to ban permanent residence for migrants on benefits – Financial Times, credited to the original author.
