Immigration White Paper due next week: Several Changes in Immigration Rules For Migrants Expected

LONDON May 10: The UK government is set to unveil a new immigration white paper next week that will introduce significant changes to immigration rules, impacting current and prospective migrant workers. While the Home Office has not disclosed full details, it stated the reforms would outline “a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system,” linking immigration, skills, and visa policy to boost the domestic workforce and reduce reliance on overseas labour.

Key Expected Changes:
Stricter English Language Requirements
Applicants for work visas and permanent residency will face higher English proficiency standards. Reports suggest the requirement may be raised from the current GCSE-level to A-Level standard in English as a foreign language, demanding fluent and flexible use of English for academic and professional purposes. However, the Home Office has denied finalizing this change.

Longer Wait for Permanent Residency
The period required for migrants to qualify for indefinite leave to remain may be extended from five to up to ten years. The move is intended to tighten eligibility for long-term settlement and reduce overall immigration figures.

Tougher Visa Screening
Visa applications from nationals of countries with high rates of asylum claims, including Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, are expected to face greater scrutiny. The Home Office aims to identify individuals likely to overstay or later claim asylum earlier in the process.

UK plans to tighten Post Study Work Visa rules
The UK government is reportedly weighing significant changes to its graduate visa policy as part of its broader strategy to reduce net migration. This move has reportedly sparked tension between the Home Office and the Department for Education, with the former pushing for reform while the latter worries about potential impacts on universities, Financial Times reported.
According to The Financial Times, the proposed reforms would require international students to secure a graduate-level job to remain in the UK after completing their studies. Under the proposed changes, international students would need to secure a graduate-level job in order to remain in the UK following the completion of their studies. Currently, the graduate visa route, introduced in 2021, allows international graduates to stay in the country for up to two years post-study, even without employment.

Employer Obligations
UK employers will be required to demonstrate genuine investment in local workforce development before being allowed to hire workers from abroad. Sectors with heavy reliance on foreign labour, such as IT and telecommunications, are likely to be targeted under these reforms. Labour also plans to strengthen the Migration Advisory Committee’s role in identifying labour market weaknesses.

Asylum applications from Students
Ministers are now preparing to close a loophole that allows international students to apply for asylum while in the UK, as part of a broader effort to tighten immigration controls. According to The Guardian, the government is expected to take concrete steps by mid-May to reduce the number of asylum claims from student visa holders. The long-awaited immigration white paper is also being prioritized for release. Additional proposals may include limiting international students’ ability to remain in the UK through low-skilled employment. However, this has sparked opposition from the Department for Education and university representatives, who warn such measures could harm the UK’s higher education sector.

Changes for Care Sector Recruitment
Since April 9, care providers in the UK must prove efforts to recruit domestically before hiring international care workers. This policy will be highlighted in the upcoming white paper as part of the broader strategy to reduce overseas recruitment.

What Is a White Paper?
A white paper is an official government policy document outlining proposed legislative changes. Often published as Command Papers, they may include drafts of future bills.