Britain doubles residency requirement for permanent settlement to 10 years

London, May 12 (IANS) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday morning that the residency period required to obtain permanent settlement in Britain has been extended from five to 10 years. 

Alongside this measure, the government is also increasing the skill thresholds for migrant workers, raising the degree level required, and tightening the English language requirements.

"When people come to our country, they should also commit to integration, to learning our language," Starmer stated. "And our system should actively distinguish between those that do and those that don't. I think that's fair."

He noted that fewer people are currently making a strong economic contribution. Starmer also said the Labour government would "finally honour what 'take back control' meant and begin to choose who comes here so that migration works for our national interest."

When asked by local media whether he had "shot himself in the foot" by requiring migrants to live in the country twice as long before becoming eligible for citizenship, Starmer responded: "The theory that higher migration numbers lead to growth has been tested in the last four years."

"That link doesn't hold on that evidence," he noted, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Labour Party has historically been more open to immigration. However, since the party lost power after the 2010 General Election, it has recalibrated its policies and shifted to a stricter stance.

Picture Courtesy: IANS