UK to extend settlement wait times for legal migrants

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will announce new rules on Monday that extend how long legal migrants must wait for permanent settlement in the United Kingdom. The Guardian reported that most migrants will now likely have to wait a decade, while some could face a wait of up to 15 years. [1]

The upcoming policy change applies to indefinite leave to remain, which is also known as permanent settlement. According to the Guardian, members of parliament warned that the longer wait times could cause worker shortages in the health and social care sectors, while others cautioned it risks creating a second Windrush scandal. [1]

Government ministers raised internal concerns about how the policy will impact care workers who are already living in the United Kingdom. According to the Guardian, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner was among the ministers who expressed concerns about care staff facing a potential 15-year wait for settlement. [1]

The measure comes after previous border policies announced by Mahmood. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Mahmood previously threatened to block all Eritreans from entering the United Kingdom if Eritrea refused to accept returned migrants, following figures showing Eritreans made up 18 percent of small boat arrivals in the year to June. [7]