UK sets 10-year wait for most migrants seeking permanent settlement
- Britain's Home Office has unveiled an Earned Settlement model tying permanent residency to earnings and conduct.
- Most migrants will now wait 10 years, up from five, with care workers who meet conditions keeping a five-year route.
- The government says over 500,000 people will wait longer, a change it says will cut the welfare bill.
Most migrants wey want to settle permanently for United Kingdom go now wait 10 years instead of five, under new rules wey di British government announce on Monday.
Di Home Office publish di policy, wey dem call Earned Settlement model, on dia website and lay am before Parliament. How long a migrant go wait now depend on earnings, conduct and whether dem follow immigration rules.
Di change matter to many Nigerian families, because of di number of Nigerians wey dey study and work for Britain, especially for health and social care.
Who go wait how long
Under di tiers, migrants wey dey earn more than £125,000 a year fit settle after three years. Those wey dey earn more than £50,271 a year, along with some public service workers like doctors, nurses and teachers, qualify after five years.
Everybody else face di new 10-year default. Migrants wey break immigration rules go wait at least 20 years, and those wey arrive by small boat or other secret routes fit wait up to 30 years.
Care workers wey come during di COVID-19 pandemic, meet dia visa conditions and earn at least £25,000 a year keep a five-year route. Those wey no qualify, about a quarter of di group according to di government, go get fresh five-year visa and can apply to settle only after dem complete am.
All applicants must meet four conditions: clean criminal record, English to a high standard, no debt to di taxpayer, and record of National Insurance contributions. Di government talk say dem go raise di criminal record requirement from di current threshold of a 12-month suspended sentence, and di English standard go up to A-Level equivalent.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood talk say settled status until now na almost automatic. "From today, it must be earned," she talk. "Those who contribute most will settle fastest."
Prime Minister Andy Burnham back di plan, talk say di system suppose reward "control, contribution" and those wey play by di rules. He talk say di previous government lose control of immigration after Brexit.
Refugees and existing residents
Refugees wey arrive through Home Office-approved routes fit settle after five years, while others wait 20 years, cut to 10 if dem work or study. Small boat arrivals face extra 10-year penalty on top.
Di government talk say people wey already hold settled status no go lose am. Family members of British citizens, Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) and armed forces members keep dia existing routes.
Officials estimate more than 500,000 people go now wait longer than five years, which di government talk say go take billions off di welfare bill. Vanguard report say di changes dey expected to take effect next year and go also apply to migrants wey already dey Britain.
Di government talk say nobody go force to leave, and say everybody fit apply for new visas wey go allow settlement after 10 years.
Wetin happen next
Dem don lay di rules before Parliament. According to Vanguard, di changes dey expected to take effect next year. Nigerians wey already dey work for Britain, and those wey dey plan to travel for work or study, suppose check how di new tiers and conditions apply to dia visa route.
