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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has published the government’s proposals to shake up Britain’s legal migration system.
Here are the key elements of the immigration plan now being proposed by the Home Office:
* The default timescale for being allowed to settle in the UK is ten years.
* People must have English at A-level as a foreign language.
* They must not have a criminal record – above the current threshold of no offense leading to a penalty of more than a 12 month suspended sentence.
* They must not have public debt.
Income and public service
* Highest income, with income of more than £125,141 and the highly qualified such as those on the Global Talent and Innovator Founder routes can settle after three years.
* Higher rate taxpayers earning over £50,271 and skilled public sector workers including doctors, nurses, teachers can settle after five years.
* The new default route for other people who must have earned £12,571 in five of the last seven years will be ten years.
‘Small boats’ and visa offenders
* Anyone who commits a visa offense or claims certain benefits must wait 20 years for settlement.
* People arriving by “small boats” or some other secret route will have to wait an extra ten years for settlement, so that could mean a total of 30 years.
* Care workers who came to the UK during the Covid pandemic and met their visa requirements and earned at least £25,000 in the last 12 months before applying for settlement can do so after five years.
* Care workers who have not met these criteria can obtain a five-year visa as part of a second chance for settlement.
* Care workers who lost their jobs because their employer revoked their license following widespread abuse of these visas will have up to 120 days from February 1 next year to find work and a further 60 days to resolve their visa and employment status.
* If have not found work of 181 days visas will start to be canceled and people need to leave the UK.
* Refugees who arrive via safe and legal routes must wait five years to settle in the UK.
* Individuals who did not arrive on the small boat and went to work or study must wait ten years.
* Those who did not arrive on the small boat and did not go to work or study will have to wait 20 years.
* People who arrived by small boat and go to work or study have to wait 20 years.
* Those who arrived by small boat and did not come to work or study, have to wait 30 years.
* Partners who arrive with a main applicant can continue to settle at the same time, provided they meet the relevant requirements.
* Children under the age of 18 can continue to live with their parents.
* The changes are expected to delay settlement for 500,000 people, saving billions in benefits.
