Nigel Farage has revealed intentions to tighten regulations on migrants’ rights and benefits eligibility. The leader of Reform UK outlined a proposal to eliminate indefinite leave to remain if his party, currently with 5 MPs, gains power.
Farage highlighted that hundreds of thousands of migrants who arrived in the UK under the post-Brexit rules initiated by Boris Johnson’s government will soon qualify for permanent residency starting in January. Reform has dubbed this influx the “Boriswave,” estimating that by 2030, approximately 800,000 new migrants will secure indefinite leave to remain. However, critics quickly dismissed the plan as unrealistic mere hours after its announcement.
Indefinite leave to remain serves as a crucial pathway to British citizenship, requiring migrants to have resided and worked in the UK for at least five years. This status grants migrants the freedom to work, reside, and study in the UK indefinitely, with the option to apply for citizenship and access certain benefits.
Reform UK aims to scrap indefinite leave to remain altogether, proposing a shift to renewable visas lasting five years instead. The revised visa system would enforce a higher salary threshold, stringent English language proficiency requirements, and prohibit benefit claims for eligible individuals.
Farage assured that there would be no retroactive changes to the citizenship status of those already granted UK citizenship, emphasizing that once citizenship is granted, it remains unchanged.
The Reform UK leader stated that abolishing indefinite leave to remain and restricting migrants’ benefit entitlement could save UK taxpayers over £230 billion. He claimed that these measures would lead to substantial savings, debunking doubts raised by critics regarding the accuracy of the figures.
Despite the proposed changes, questions linger regarding the impact on essential services like the NHS and the care sector, heavily reliant on migrant workers. The party’s policy chief indicated a new visa category for care workers, emphasizing a capped and controlled system to avoid exploitation, with further details expected closer to the upcoming general election.
