24/06/2026
🇬🇧 Big potential changes could be coming to UK immigration, settlement, and citizenship.
A parliamentary committee just released a major report reviewing the Government's new proposals. Here is a quick, easy-to-grasp breakdown of what you need to know:
📈 Longer Waits for Permanent Residency?
The Government wants to increase the default waiting time for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from 5 years to 10 years (and up to 15 or 20 years for some visa types). However, the Committee strongly opposes this, arguing it hurts integration and pushes families into uncertainty.
🔄 The Debate Over Retroactive Rules
The Government suggested applying these longer waiting times to people already in the UK on a path to settlement. The Committee heavily criticized this as "manifestly unfair," warning it breaks promises made to migrants (including Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders) and damages the UK's global reputation.
💰 "Earned Settlement" & Income Thresholds
Under the proposed rules, you could get permanent residency faster if you earn a high salary (over £50,270). Critics point out this unfairly penalizes stay-at-home parents, lower earners, and people living outside of London.
🗣️ Higher English Language Requirements
The required English language proficiency level is set to rise from B1 to B2. While the Committee supports this, they are calling for a better national strategy to fix long waiting lists for English classes.
📊 Better Tracking, Fewer Guessing Games
Right now, the government doesn't accurately know how many migrants are in the country. The report recommends using a modern, interconnected data system to better track visas and employment rather than relying on guesswork.
👇 What do you think about these proposed changes? Let us know in the comments!
AI extract from the Justice and Home Affairs Committee Settlement, Citizenship and Integration
1st Report of Session 2026-27 - published 23 June 2026 - HL Paper 13
