UK PM Keir Starmer Announces New Immigration Policy

On May 13, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new immigration policy that will make it more difficult to gain permanent residency in the UK. Under the new rules, immigrants must now stay in the UK for 10 years instead of 5 before applying for permanent residency.

This change will also impact Indian citizens, as a large number of Indians live in the UK. In 2023, approximately 250,000 Indian nationals came to the UK for work or study purposes.

Key Highlights of the New Policy:

• The required duration of stay for permanent residency applicants is increased from 5 years to 10 years.
• English language requirements for all visa applicants have been made stricter.
• A ban has been imposed on the recruitment of foreign workers in the care sector.
• The duration for staying in the UK after completing studies on a student visa has been reduced from 2 years to 1.5 years.
• For skilled visas, applicants will need to have a degree-level qualification, not just an 'A' level qualification.

These changes are expected to impact both current and future immigrants, particularly those planning to apply for permanent residency or work in the UK.