Migrants looking to live and work in the UK could soon face stricter English language requirements and longer waits to gain permanent residency, according to reports ahead of a new immigration White Paper expected next week.

What are the new measures under the immigration reforms?

The policy document is anticipated to outline a series of tougher measures towards migration, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer responds to mounting pressure following Labour's losses in recent local elections, where the anti-immigration Reform UK party made significant gains. 

One of the main proposals under consideration is a move to raise the required level of English proficiency for migrants applying for UK work visas. As reported by right-leaning The Times newspaper, the standard could be raised to match the levels of language proficiency required from the current GCSE level to the equivalent of an A-level in a foreign language.

In addition, The Financial Times newspaper revealed that the government may extend the period migrants must wait before they are eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain. At present, most migrants on time-limited work visas can apply after five years, but under the new plans, this could be extended to ten years in certain cases — particularly if an applicant has spent extended periods outside the UK, or if there are concerns regarding their financial stability.

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Conservatives and Labour toughen migration stance to court voters

The proposals bear similarities to recent Conservative initiatives, including a draft "Deportation Bill" aimed at tightening immigration controls. Both major parties appear to be recalibrating their positions on immigration in response to the rising popularity of Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage.

Reform UK, which has adopted a hardline stance on immigration, made strong electoral inroads on a round of local elections held on May 1, winning numerous local council seats and flipping the Runcorn and Helsby constituency from Labour control. These election gains for reform seem to have shaken both of the UK's main political parties.

The government’s upcoming White Paper is expected to play an essential role in shaping the UK’s future immigration policy, as both Labour and the Conservatives try to win back voters who appear to be swayed by immigration arguments at the ballot box.

Net migration reached 728,000 in the 12 months to June 2024, largely driven by regular arrivals for work and study. More than 10,000 asylum seekers also crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year— a roughly 40 percent increase from the same period in 2023.

Under the former Conservative government, delays in the processing of asylum claims resulted in huge backlogs in the system, and conversely ended up with even more asylum seekers being housed for longer in hotels and other costly forms of accommodation.

This was one of the problems that the incoming Labour government promised to try and tackle when they were elected in July 2024. However, in the last few months, they too have taken to describing the UK's asylum system as "broken." The UK's Refuge Council has warned that recent efforts to speed up asylum decisions have actually resulted in lower-quality rulings, more appeals, and growing court backlogs.

With dpa and Reuters