British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood plans to unveil new immigration rules today that will make it harder for migrants to obtain permanent residency in the UK.
Under the proposed changes, applicants will need to hold a job, avoid claiming benefits, contribute to social security, perform community work, and maintain a clean criminal record.
They will also be required to demonstrate a high level of English proficiency.
Currently, individuals can qualify for permanent residency if they have lived in the UK legally for 10 years or have family ties and at least five years of residency. Those granted residency gain the right to live, work, study, receive benefits, and apply for British citizenship.
Mahmood will outline the policy shift at the Labour Party’s annual conference, with consultations on the amendments expected later this year. The move comes as the far-right Reform Party, leading in recent polls, pushes to abolish permanent residency altogether and replace it with a renewable five-year visa system.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the Reform Party’s proposal as “racist” and warned it would “tear the country apart.” The Labour Party said its own measures are designed to balance firm controls with fairness, in contrast to the Reform Party’s plan, which it argued would force long-time migrant workers to uproot their lives.
In her speech, Mahmood will stress the need to address public concerns over immigration, warning that failure to do so risks driving voters toward Reform Party leader Nigel Farage.
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