London, Nov 3: The UK government has announced long-awaited changes to its rules governing permanent residency, with thousands of Nepalis living in the country likely to be affected.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood unveiled the new rules in Parliament on Monday for migrants seeking Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), the UK’s permanent residency status.
Under the new rules, the standard qualifying period for permanent residency will be doubled from five to 10 years.
According to the Home Secretary, the new Earned Settlement model will end the automatic granting of settlement rights. Under the previous system, migrants could generally qualify for permanent residency after five years. Under the new arrangement, the waiting period will depend on their contribution to the UK and their conduct.
People on lower incomes will have to wait longer to obtain ILR, while the process will be faster for higher earners.
High earners with annual salaries of £50,271 or more, along with professionals working in the health and education sectors, including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dental practitioners and teachers, will remain eligible for settlement after five years.
Refugees who entered the UK legally will also be able to apply for ILR after five years.
Similarly, care workers earning at least £25,000 annually who arrived in the UK before May 2025 will be eligible to apply for permanent residency after five years.
Home Secretary Mahmood was forced to amend the policy on care workers following opposition from some lawmakers within her own ruling Labour Party.
The opposition Conservative Party has criticised the policy changes, arguing that they could impose a bill worth billions of pounds on taxpayers.
According to the Home Office, an estimated 196,000 care workers and their adult dependants could settle in the UK between 2026 and 2030. The government estimates that this could create a long term financial burden of £9.5 billion for taxpayers.
Meanwhile, individuals earning more than £125,141 annually, as well as highly skilled migrants holding Global Talent or Innovator Founder visas, will be eligible to apply for ILR after just three years.
Refugees who arrive in the UK after crossing the English Channel in small boats or through other illegal routes will have to wait 20 years if they work or study, and 30 years if they do neither.
Migrants who claim government benefits will have to wait 20 years before qualifying for permanent residency.
The Home Office said that anyone seeking permanent residency, regardless of when they arrived in the UK, must first meet four mandatory requirements.
These include having no criminal record, demonstrating a high level of English proficiency at B2 level, having no outstanding debts to taxpayers or public funds, and maintaining a continuous record of National Insurance contributions.
ILR allows holders to live in the UK indefinitely, work and study without time restrictions. They can also apply for British citizenship at a later stage.
London based immigration solicitor Raju Thapa said the UK government had decided to grant permanent residency based on income, employment, social integration, contribution to society and good conduct.
According to Thapa, the Earned Settlement system announced on Monday has not yet become legally effective.
“The rules announced today will be presented to Parliament for legislation in December 2026 and are expected to come into effect in 2027,” Thapa said. “The new requirement for B2 level English proficiency will apply from March 26, 2027.”
Until then, the existing B1 level English requirement will remain in force, Thapa said.
He said the new rules would directly affect workers employed in the hospitality sector, particularly restaurants and hotels.
“For people working in restaurants, earning £50,271 a year is almost impossible. They will now have to wait the full 10 years,” he added.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Login to add a comment