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The UK government is planning changes to the asylum system that will require refugees to wait longer than the current five years before they can apply to settle permanently in the country. Additionally, the route allowing refugees to automatically bring close relatives to the UK, which was temporarily suspended in September, will be permanently scrapped. Specific details about the new conditions refugees must meet to settle in the UK and be accompanied by family members will be revealed later this autumn. At the European Political Community summit in Copenhagen, Sir Keir Starmer is set to discuss strategies to combat illegal migration with fellow leaders.
In efforts to demonstrate that settlement in the UK must be earned by contributing to the country, the prime minister has announced “fundamental changes” to the asylum system. These changes mirror those being devised for individuals entering the country on legal visas, such as for work, who may now face a ten-year wait to settle. A government insider mentioned that the UK has been overly generous towards asylum seekers and aims to reduce the pull factors that attract migrants. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticized the modifications as ineffective, while the Refugee Council warned that the new approach may lead to desperate individuals turning to smugglers to reunite with loved ones.
The government has been striving to diminish the number of people making the treacherous journey to the UK via small boats across the Channel. Despite Labour’s promise upon assuming power in July 2024 to alleviate the “small boat crisis,” arrival numbers persist at high levels. Presently, refugees can apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK after five years, granting them the freedom to live, work, and study in the country for an indefinite period. However, the forthcoming rules will offer refugees a “package of core protection” but require them to follow a longer route to settlement, involving contributions, instead of the current five-year pathway.
The anticipated changes to settlement rules for refugees will coincide with adjustments to family reunion conditions. A previous scheme that allowed refugees to bring family members to the UK without conditions has been paused, pending the announcement of new rules. The pause was initiated to align refugee family reunion policies with the restrictions imposed on other migrants, such as meeting minimum income requirements and providing suitable accommodations. The move was deemed necessary to ensure fairness and address the unsustainable levels of family homelessness applications linked to refugee family reunion
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