UK doubles settlement period to 10 yrs under new migration model

The UK government tabled its proposal in Parliament on Thursday to double the period international migrants, including Indians, would be expected to wait before applying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) under a new “earned settlement” model.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the House of Commons that settling in the UK was "not a right but a privilege”, as she confirmed the current five-year automatic ILR route will be doubled for the majority of applicants.

Under the changes, low-paid workers will be subject to a 15-year wait for ILR and migrants accessing taxpayer-funded benefits would have to wait for as long as 20 years to be able to access settled status.

At the other end of the spectrum, skilled professionals employed in frontline sectors such as the National Health Service (NHS) and higher-earning entrepreneurs will have access to a fast-tracked route to ILR, after five years or less.

“To settle in this country forever is not a right, but a privilege, and it must be earned," Mahmood told MPs. “I am replacing a broken immigration system with one that prioritises contribution, integration and respect for the British sense of fair play," she said.