Scrapping Indefinite Leave: Reform UK's Controversial Immigration Overhaul

Reform UK has launched a controversial agenda to abolish permanent settlement rights for migrants in the UK, a move that could significantly alter the landscape of immigration. If successful in the upcoming elections, the party, led by Nigel Farage, plans to end the right of migrants to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after five years, a status that currently grants migrants the ability to live, work, and receive benefits in the UK.

Instead of the ILR system, Reform proposes that migrants would need to reapply for visas every five years under stricter criteria, which include raised salary thresholds and enhanced English language proficiency. They have asserted that these changes could potentially save the UK £234 billion over decades by limiting welfare access to only British citizens.

Critics, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, have dismissed these savings as speculative and unfounded. The party’s new policy marks a direct response to the influx of migrants, termed the ”Boriswave”, who entered the UK post-Brexit under more lenient regulations.

The proposed reforms would predominantly impact migrants who have been in the UK since 2021, often working but also combining their histories with welfare claims—a concern emphasized by Farage, who insists the UK is not a ”world’s food bank”. Moreover, while EU nationals with protected status are exempt, many non-EU migrants would find themselves facing the new stringent visa requirements.

In addition to altering ILR rules, Reform UK’s proposals include creating an Acute Skills Shortage Visa (ASSV) to address pressing job shortages and raising the wait time for British citizenship applications from six to seven years, complicating the migration pathway for future applicants.

The idea of revising policies that affect current residents is already stirring legal concerns and public backlash, with significant implications for family units and rights that may be seen as retroactive and harsh. While the party’s goal is to align UK immigration with practices in countries like the US and UAE, opposition parties warn that these measures could lead to increased uncertainty and economic losses.

As the political dialogue intensifies, it is clear that the debate over immigration and welfare access is escalating in the UK, with ramifications that could disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands who are currently navigating this complex system.