THE UK plans to double the time most foreign workers must wait for settled status from five to 10 years, the government said on Thursday. Doctors and nurses will continue under the current five-year requirement, while some illegal immigrants will face a 30-year wait.
The move comes as immigration remains a central issue in British politics. Successive governments have introduced measures such as tighter visa rules and higher salary thresholds for foreign workers.
The Labour government, which trails Reform UK in polls, described the proposals as the “biggest shake-up of the legal migration system in nearly half a century”.
Under the plans, high earners and entrepreneurs will be eligible for settlement after three years. Doctors and nurses working in the National Health Service will keep the five-year route.
Over two-thirds of doctors and almost half of nurses in the NHS are trained abroad. The main nursing union has said up to 50,000 migrant nurses could leave if the waiting period was extended.
The government said it would also impose penalties on those “exploiting the system”. People who rely on benefits will face a 20-year wait, four times the current period and the longest in Europe. Those arriving illegally or overstaying visas will face waits of up to 30 years.
Government estimates show that without the changes, 1.6 million people were on course to obtain settled status between 2026 and 2030. Net immigration peaked at 944,000 in the year ending March 2023, according to official data.
Last week, the government changed its asylum policies, saying refugee status would become temporary and deportations of illegal arrivals would be accelerated.
Britain, with a population of around 69 million, has seen public concern over pressure on services. Others argue migrants are essential for sectors including health and social care.
(With inputs from Reuters)
