Key Points
-
A new ‘contributions-based model’ will extend the route to citizenship from five to ten years - New and stricter English language requirements will be rolled out across all immigration routes
- Starmer promised a ‘significant reduction in immigration’ by the end of this Parliament
- Starmer said he’s willing to take ‘further measures’ if it becomes necessary
Migrants will need to spend up to a decade in the UK before they can apply for citizenship and English language requirements will be increased as part of the Government’s immigration crackdown.
Sir Keir Starmer said the UK risks becoming an “island of strangers” without controls on immigration as he unveiled a crackdown.
The Prime Minister said “migration is part of Britain’s national story”, but promised it will fall as part of his plans.
“We talked last week about the great rebuilding of this country after the warm,” he said.
“Migrants were part of that, and they make a massive contribution today, and you will never hear me denigrate that.
“But when people come to our country, they should also commit to integration, to learning our language, and our system should actively distinguish between those that do and those that don’t. I think that’s fair.”
He added: “Now, make no mistake, this plan means migration will fall.
“That’s a promise.”
If Starmer’s plans are approved, there will be tougher rules on who can come to work, study or bring family.
The UK Government has said that “every part of the system is being tightened”.
“Backdoor routes to settlement will be closed, enforcement will be stepped up as we end abuse of the system,” a government press release stated.
However, Starmer said the new rules would fast-track “high-skilled, high-contributing individuals who play by the rules” such as nurses, doctors, engineers and AI leaders.
The new English language requirements would be applied to all adult dependents by requiring them to demonstrate a basic understanding of English.
The measures include cutting the number of visas for lower-skilled workers by up to 50,000, ending the recruitment of care workers from abroad and ramping up standards on graduate visas.
That will have consequences for migrants looking to work and study in the UK, employers and the economy as a whole.
‘We will finally take back control of our borders’
Starmer’s Immigration White Paper comes after net migration reached nearly one million in June 2023 – four times the levels seen in 2019.
“That’s about the population of Birmingham, our second largest city. That’s not control. It’s chaos,” the Prime Minister told reporters.
At the same time, the UK Labour Government said that “public services were stretched, housing costs soared, and employers swapped skills investment for cheap overseas labour”.
“In sectors like engineering, apprenticeships almost halved while work visas doubled and communities were asked to absorb record numbers,” a government press release said.
Starmer said the new plans “will finally take back control of our borders and close the book on a squalid chapter for our politics, our economy and our country”.
What is a White Paper?
On Monday, Starmer was speaking ahead of the publication of his Labour Government immigration White Paper, which is a government policy document setting out their proposals for future legislation.
It provides details about bills that are being planned by the government. The new rules laid out in the report will still need to go through Parliamentary debates and procedures before they come into affect. A lot could change in that time.
Immigration is also a “reserved” matter, meaning the UK Government retains control over immigration and visa policies and rules even though they have effect in Scotland and beyond.
In other words, it’s an area where the Scottish Parliament has little say or control.
The full package of policies in the Immigration White Paper will be published later on Monday.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
