British PM Starmer introduces new policies to reduce immigration to UK: Here’s the full list of changes

This move comes after net migration shot up post-Brexit, eventually becoming “unusually high in the year ending June 2024.” Estimates from the Office for National Statistics suggest that total net migration was 728,000 in the year ending June 2024, as quoted by The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford.

Here’s what is changing in the UK as per the reforms:

Although the British PM has not conveyed any defined reduction in numbers, his government’s policy document states that the changes could reduce the number of people arriving by around 100,000 per year, Reuters reported.

Settlement and Citizenship

Immigrants in Britain will need to spend 10 years in the country, up from five years at the moment, to be able to receive the automatic right to apply for an indefinite “leave to remain” or full citizenship in the country, as noted by Reuters.

However, individuals who can demonstrate their “contribution to the economy or society” will be allowed to apply sooner.

The government will consult before deciding when the changes come into force and whether they will apply to immigrants already in Britain or only to new arrivals, Reuters further noted.

Overseas workers

In its policy document, the UK government mentioned it would introduce a 32 per cent increase in the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC), which is paid by employers as they recruit someone from overseas via a skilled visa or similar route.

The cost has not seen any rise since its introduction in 2017. An increase, as suggested, would bring it in line with inflation.

The current cost of the immigration skills charge is 1,000 pounds ($1,318) per worker for a large company for the first year, and 364 pounds for worker for a small company, Reuters highlighted.

“ISC funding will be used at the oncoming Spending Review to support skills funding for priority sectors to upskill the domestic workforce and reduce reliance on migration over the medium term,” the white paper stated.

Students

Emphasising that international students are important to the UK, to its Universities and its economy, the policy document states it is
important that those who stay back in the UK after their higher studies transition into graduate level jobs and are properly contributing to the British economy.

Now, international students will be able to work in Britain following their graduation, however, only for 18 months, down from two years currently.

The government said it would “explore introducing a levy on higher education providers’ income from tuition fees from international students, to be reinvested into the higher education and skills system.”

While no final decision has been made, Reuters highlighted that the policy paper modelled a 6% levy on tuition fees and said this could increase the cost of coming to studying in Britain if passed on.

English Language Requirements:

The government announced that they will introduce “new English language requirements across a broader range of immigration routes, for both main applicants and their dependents, to ensure better knowledge of English, including an assessment of improvements over time.”

For skilled workers and workers, the language requirements will be increased from B1 to B2 (Independent User) levels.

Moreover, it will also introduce a new English language requirement for “all adult dependants of workers and students at level A1 (Basic User) to align to spousal and partner routes,” as per the document.

Those migrating to the UK will have to demonstrate progression to level A2 (Basic User) for any visa extensions, and B2 (Independent User) for settlement.

Care sector route closed:

Highlighting that the Adult Social Care visa route has led to significant concerns over abuse and exploitation of individual workers, the government said it would completely end overseas recruitment for social care visas. That is, the government will close social care visas to new applications from abroad.

In the policy paper, the government said there would be a “transition period” until 2028 during which existing visas could be extended and overseas nationals in Britain could switch to a social care job.

Asylum seekers

The government also said it would look to bring in new legislation or tighten their existing rules to make it “easier to refuse entry or asylum” to those individuals who break the rules or laws, both at the border, and within the UK immigration system.

The government said it would introduce legislation to limit asylum seekers’ use of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights – which protects the right to a family, such that fewer cases are treated as “exceptional,” as Reuters report quoted.

The government added that further reforms to the asylum system would be published later in the year.