More than 250,000 people have signed two official petitions opposing the Home Office’s plans to make it harder for immigrants to gain permanent residence in the UK. The proposed changes, which would extend the waiting period for settled status, are set to be debated by MPs after sparking widespread backlash.
Under the May-published Immigration White Paper, skilled worker visa holders would need to wait ten years up from the current five before qualifying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). ILR gives migrants rights similar to British citizens, including the ability to work freely and access benefits.
One petition, calling for the five-year ILR pathway to remain for existing skilled worker visa holders, attracted nearly 157,000 signatures. Another, urging protection for Hong Kong visa holders, drew over 107,000 supporters.
Benedict Rogers, co-founder of Hong Kong Watch, warned that Hong Kongers with British National Overseas status would face significant challenges if ILR is extended. “Now is not the time for the UK to back away from its promises,” he said. “Extending the waiting time would leave those who have sacrificed so much unprotected, unable to access British consular support abroad, withdraw retirement savings from Hong Kong, or afford higher education in the UK.”
Both petitions will be debated in Westminster on September 8, having surpassed the 100,000-signature threshold.
The wider immigration reforms, announced in May, aim to curb net migration, which rose from around 224,000 in mid-2019 to a record 906,000 in June 2023, before easing to 728,000 in 2024 under previous rules.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer drew criticism when he warned the UK could “become an island of strangers” without stricter immigration measures. Plans include tougher rules for settled status, increased deportations for visa overstayers, and cutting the post-study graduate visa from two years to 18 months.
Direct recruitment of care workers from abroad will end, though current visa holders can stay until 2028. Salary thresholds for skilled worker visas are set to rise, and eligible job categories were narrowed last month.
A government spokesperson said: “Settlement in the UK has always been a privilege, not a right. Current rules focus on residence length and knowledge of British life, but we believe people should contribute to the economy and society before gaining settled status. To promote integration and maximise long-term benefits, we plan to expand the Points-Based System and increase the qualifying period to ten years.”
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