Britain’s Labour government has announced that refugees will no longer automatically gain permanent residence and family reunion rights after five years, marking another major tightening of immigration policy.
Currently, migrants granted asylum are eligible for settlement after five years in the UK. Under the new plan, permanent residence will not be guaranteed. Instead, applicants will face a longer process that requires proof of contribution to British society, including social security payments, community volunteering, English proficiency, and a clean criminal record.
“The changes will bring an end to the unfair system that sees those crossing the channel in a small boat having greater rights to settlement and family reunion than those who arrive through proper legal routes and even British citizens,” the government said in a statement.
Interior minister Shabana Mahmood earlier this week set out wider reforms for all migrants, which include doubling the qualifying period for settlement from five to ten years. Refugees will also lose the automatic right to bring family members to Britain — with family reunion applications already suspended last month.
The government says those granted refugee status will still be entitled to “core protections” and will not be returned to their home countries, but it has yet to spell out how long they will need to wait before qualifying for permanent residence.
Labour has been under pressure to stem migration flows, particularly the number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats. The crackdown is also seen as part of a strategy to undercut rising support for the populist Reform UK party.
Further details of the new rules are expected later this year.