Starmer scraps refugee “golden ticket” for family settlement
Refugees in the UK will have to wait longer than the current five years before they can apply for permanent settlement. The government has also confirmed that the route allowing refugees to automatically bring close family members to the UK, which was temporarily suspended in September, will be permanently removed.
Sir Keir Starmer said the changes will mean “there will be no golden ticket to settling in the UK, people will have to earn it.”
Under the proposed rules, refugees seeking settlement will need to meet specific conditions, including demonstrating English proficiency, maintaining a clean criminal record, and volunteering in their community. Details of these requirements and updated family reunion rules will be published later in the autumn.
The UK government states that refugees will still receive core protection but will follow a longer path to settlement. Indefinite leave to remain, currently available after five years, will be replaced with new rules requiring refugees to meet contribution-based criteria.
These changes are part of broader efforts to align the UK’s asylum system with other migration categories and European practices. Asylum applications will continue to be assessed individually.
Left-leaning coverage frames the changes as a rollback of refugee rights, highlighting NGO critiques, human rights concerns, and Brexit-related return agreements. Right-leaning coverage presents them as enforcement measures, emphasizing tougher settlement rules, reduced incentives for irregular migration, and longer waiting periods for indefinite leave to remain.
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