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The government is preparing a significant overhaul of the immigration framework aimed at making it more difficult for migrants currently residing in the UK to gain permanent settlement. Under the proposed changes, the qualifying period for most migrant workers to achieve permanent residence would increase from five to ten years. Refugees, meanwhile, could face an even longer wait, with eligibility potentially extending to 20 years.
Following interventions by deputy leader Angela Rayner, those close to the prime minister avoided confirming the bold proposal originally announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. When pressed by reporters about whether the government might be softening its stance, they indicated that they were still reviewing feedback from a public consultation and would provide further details in due course. This response appeared somewhat noncommittal, raising questions about the final form of the proposal.
Subsequently, a government spokesperson clarified the official position, stating: “The government’s position has not changed. The government will double the route to settlement from five to ten years. As announced in November, we are consulting to apply this change to those in the UK today but have not received settled status. We are currently reviewing the 200,000 responses and will outline our response in due course.” This aligns with the home secretary’s earlier comments about seeking input on potential transitional arrangements during the consultation process.
Taken together, the government’s language suggests they are reserving some flexibility to adjust how the reforms might be implemented, particularly concerning those already in the country. Rather than a complete reversal, any moderation of the initial plans would likely be an application of the “as a norm” principle outlined by Mahmood, allowing for exceptions or phased introductions. This tactical openness appears designed to acknowledge criticism and potentially incorporate some concerns into the ultimate version of the policy, while still maintaining the overall intention to tighten the path to settlement
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