Shabana Mahmood: Migrants must demonstrate social contribution before settlement
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has stated that migrants should demonstrate their social contribution before being granted the right to settle in Britain.
In her first major interview since assuming leadership of the Home Office, Mahmood expressed her view that migration "has been too high" and acknowledged that she understands "why people have concerns about it."
She informed the Sun on Sunday of her desire to impose stricter regulations on indefinite leave to remain – a status that allows migrants to settle in the UK without the need to renew their visas.
Mahmood noted that ministers are exploring ways to ensure that indefinite leave to remain is tied not only to employment but also to "the wider contribution you are making to our communities."
Regarding illegal migration, the home secretary is promising reforms to human rights law before Christmas in an effort to prevent it from being used to stop deportation flights.
The European Convention on Human Rights and other treaties have been "used in a way that was never intended," Mahmood said.
The home secretary’s interview follows Reform UK leader Nigel Farage pledged to revoke indefinite leave to remain for all non-EU migrants if his party wins the next election.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kunnsberg programme, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated: "I do think that it is a racist policy. I do think it is immoral. It needs to be called out for what it is."
As the Labour party confronts pressure to strengthen its stance on immigration to counter Reform ahead of the next election, here are some other changes ministers are suggesting.
Doubling the qualifying period for permanent settlement
Ministers are currently consulting on plans to extend the duration migrants must remain in the UK before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain.
Currently, the requirement is five years, but the government has proposed extending this to 10 years.
A White Paper published in May, titled Restoring control over the immigration system, stated that some individuals with "greater contributions" could qualify sooner.
It indicated that the government would "continue to offer a shorter pathway to settlement for non-UK dependants of British citizens to five years, provided they have remained compliant with their requirements."
"We will retain existing safeguards to protect the vulnerable, including settlement rights for victims of domestic violence and abuse," the paper adds.
Requiring legal migrants to prove ’contribution’ to society
Changes to indefinite leave to remain rules would be part of an intensification of the points-based system currently employed to determine eligibility for staying in the country.
Under the current system, settlement is primarily based on the length of time spent in the UK alongside a knowledge of life test used to verify familiarity with British customs, history, traditions, laws, and political system.
"These criteria alone do not reflect our strongly held belief that people should contribute to the economy and society before gaining settled status in our country, and they fail to promote integration," the white paper states.
"We will therefore reform the current rules around settlement by expanding the principle behind the points-based system, which is that individuals should earn their right to privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to our country."
Increasing English language requirements
Ministers have also proposed elevating language requirements for workers where a language requirement already exists from B1 level to B2, representing an upper intermediate level.
Spouses or partners of those with work or student visas who wish to come to the UK will need to demonstrate an A1 (basic) level of English and will need to show progression in their language skills if they wish to extend their visa, obtain indefinite leave to remain, or acquire citizenship.
"We want individuals to improve their English language skills over time as they continue their stay in the UK.
"We will introduce requirements to demonstrate progression to level A2 (Basic User) for any visa extension, and B2 (Independent User) for settlement," a policy paper from June stated.
In May, the government proposed plans to cease overseas recruitment of social care workers.
"Care workers from overseas have made a huge contribution to social care in the UK, but too many have been subjected to disgraceful levels of abuse and exploitation," the Home Office stated.
"Workers seeking to support the UK’s care sector arrived only to find themselves burdened with debt, treated unfairly, or in extreme cases, discovering that the jobs they were promised did not exist."
In March, the Home Office disclosed that over 470 care providers had had their licenses to sponsor international staff suspended since 2022.
With the crackdown on "rogue care providers" leaving around 40,000 workers unemployed, the government stated they will be "given the opportunity to do the jobs they were promised," while "long-term plans are drawn up to train homegrown talent into the care sector."
"International workers who are already sponsored to work legally in the sector will be able to continue to extend their stay, change sponsors, and apply to settle."
Technology & Business Editor
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