UK to double wait for permanent residency, with exemptions for care workers

What the report says

The United Kingdom has changed its immigration settlement rules, lengthening the wait for most foreign workers to obtain permanent residency from five years to 10. The policy was announced in Parliament by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and is due to take effect next year. Al Jazeera reported that the government is linking eligibility more closely to income and length of contribution, while also introducing tougher conditions for some refugees and other applicants.

Under the new framework, higher earners will still be able to apply sooner: people earning more than 50,000 pounds a year can qualify after five years, while those above 125,000 pounds may apply after three. Care workers are exempt from the longer timeline and can settle after five years if they meet visa conditions and earn at least 25,000 pounds a year. The government says the changes are intended to recognize workers who filled shortages in the care sector.

The revised rules also create longer paths for refugees, including a 20-year wait for some and up to 30 years for those who arrived through irregular routes such as small boats. Applicants could be refused if they have criminal records, owe money to the government, or do not meet language and contribution requirements. The article says the move follows public consultation and broader pressure to tighten immigration policy amid rising political debate in the UK.