UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged sweeping reforms to the country’s immigration system, promising to introduce tougher visa rules as part of efforts to address what he called a “broken” migration system. The new measures, set to be detailed in Labour’s forthcoming Immigration White Paper, aim to make the system “controlled, selective and fair.”
Under the proposed reforms, all visa applicants and their adult dependants will face stricter English language requirements. Additionally, the skill threshold for work visas will be raised to degree level, making it harder for lower-skilled workers to qualify. Migrants will also have to wait 10 years before they can apply for settled status in the UK, doubling the current five-year period.
“These changes will mean migration will fall. That’s a promise,” Starmer declared, emphasizing that every area of the immigration system-including work, family, and study routes-will be tightened. He also warned that if further steps are needed to relieve pressure on housing and public services, his government will not hesitate to act.
Starmer criticized the previous Conservative government for what he described as an “open borders” approach, noting that net migration had quadrupled between 2019 and 2023, reaching nearly one million people in 2023-comparable to the population of Birmingham.
The Labour leader singled out industries such as engineering, where he said reliance on foreign workers has soared while apprenticeships for local young people have declined. He argued that the new rules would encourage businesses to invest in training the domestic workforce rather than relying on importing cheap labour.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp responded by dismissing Starmer’s tough stance as “a joke,” and called for Parliament to introduce a cap on migration.
The government’s new migration rules are expected to be published soon, with Starmer reiterating his commitment to “take back control of our borders” and ensure that the system works for the benefit of the UK’s economy and communities.
