Government of United Kingdom don bring new immigration rules wey go make most migrants wait 10 years before dem fit get permanent stay for di country.
Under di new rules, migrants wey break immigration laws fit wait at least 20 years before dem qualify, while people wey enter UK through small boats or secret routes fit wait up to 30 years.
However, some care workers wey follow their visa conditions and earn at least £25,000 every year go still fit apply for permanent stay after five years.
Di UK Home Office announce di new rules for statement wey e publish on Monday, November 2, 2026.
New Settlement Rules
Di new policy, wey dem call Earned Settlement model, don reach Parliament. E make am clear say how long migrants go wait before dem get permanent stay go depend on wetin dem contribute to di country and how dem behave.
Under di arrangement, people wey earn di highest salaries fit qualify after three years.
Migrants wey earn more than £50,271 every year, alongside some public service workers like doctors, nurses and teachers, go fit apply after five years.
But people wey don break immigration rules go need wait at least 20 years before dem qualify.
Four Conditions Migrants Must Meet
Di Home Office don also list four major conditions wey everybody wey dey apply for permanent stay must meet, no matter when dem enter UK.
Di conditions include:
- Dem must get clean criminal record.
- Dem must sabi speak English well.
- Dem no suppose owe government any money.
- Dem must get steady record of National Insurance contributions.
Di government also talk say e don raise di standard for criminal record checks from di former requirement of a 12-month suspended sentence.
E also increase di English language requirement to a level wey be equal to A-Level English as a foreign language.
UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, explain say permanent stay for Britain na valuable right wey people must now work towards earning.
According to am, people wey contribute pass go get permanent stay faster, while people wey no follow immigration rules go face refusal or longer waiting time.
She add say di new policy go make di immigration system fair to both migrants and British citizens.
Special Arrangement For Care Workers
Di government don introduce special five-year settlement arrangement for care workers wey follow their visa conditions and earn at least £25,000 every year.
Di Home Office say di decision na to recognise di important work wey care workers do for Britain during di COVID-19 pandemic.
However, di government talk say some employers don abuse di system by sponsoring foreign workers for jobs wey no dey exist.
E reveal say authorities don remove 1,800 employers from di list of people wey get permission to sponsor foreign workers.
Care workers wey no qualify for di five-year settlement arrangement, wey dem estimate to be about one-quarter of di total number, go receive another five-year visa before dem fit apply for permanent stay.
Di same arrangement go also affect some healthcare and education workers wey enter di country during di same period.
More Than 500,000 Migrants To Wait Longer
Di Home Office estimate say more than 500,000 people go now wait longer than five years before dem fit get permanent stay for Britain.
Government talk say di changes go reduce money wey e dey spend on welfare, but e insist say nobody go force migrants to leave di country because of di new rules.
E also say everybody go still get fair opportunity to apply for new visas wey fit allow dem qualify for permanent stay after 10 years.
British Prime Minister Supports Di Changes
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham don support di new immigration proposals, saying di country need system wey go reward people wey contribute positively and follow di law.
According to am, di previous government lose control of immigration after Britain leave European Union, leading to an unusual increase in migrant numbers.
Burnham say people wey make valuable contributions to their communities suppose get opportunity to settle earlier, while those wey abuse di system or enter di country illegally should expect longer waiting periods or rejection.
New Rules For Refugees
Di new policy also introduce different waiting periods for refugees.
People wey enter Britain through routes wey di Home Office approve go qualify for permanent stay after five years.
However, refugees wey arrive through other routes go need wait 20 years.
Those among dem wey work or study during their stay go get their waiting period reduced to 10 years.
But migrants wey enter Britain through small boats or other secret routes go face extra 10 years, meaning some of dem fit wait up to 30 years before dem qualify for permanent stay.
British Citizens, Hong Kong Nationals And Others
Di Home Office clarify say people wey already get permanent settlement status for Britain no go lose am because of di new policy.
Family members of British citizens, Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) and members of di armed forces go also continue to enjoy their existing settlement arrangements.
Di government maintain say di reforms follow most of di proposals wey e present during its November 2025 consultation.
However, e insist say Britain go still maintain one of di most business-friendly immigration systems in Europe for highly skilled workers.
