UK’s Starmer unveils tougher immigration rules, aims to slash legal migration
The Prime Minister stated that the country's immigration system would be further tightened and that migration figures would be significantly reduced.
Under the new proposals, visa applicants and their adult family members will be required to take an English language test, according to the BBC. Additionally, the process for obtaining permanent residency will be extended. The Prime Minister also aims to reduce the number of nurses and social care workers arriving from abroad.
The measures announced by Keir Starmer are primarily aimed at reducing legal migration. However, they do not address illegal immigration, including those entering the country by small boats.
According to official statistics, net migration to the UK (the difference between those entering and leaving the country) stood at 728,000 in the year leading up to June 2024.
Keir Starmer noted that between 2019 and 2023, net migration quadrupled, reaching a historic peak of around one million annually—comparable to the population of Birmingham. He described this situation as chaos, not governance, and blamed the previous government's policies for the outcome.
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