In the ongoing debate on UK immigration, a crucial aspect that deserves more attention is the government’s intention of doubling the time for holders of skilled worker visas to become eligible for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), from five to 10 years, plus new hurdles at the 10-year mark and later for citizenship.

Holding a skilled worker visa already requires continuous employment, without even a day’s gap and without a social safety net, but with higher taxation. This can be challenging for five years, and will be unrealistic for 10 years. Think of people like my wife and I, who moved to the UK in mid-2021 on skilled worker visas. We will be eligible to apply for ILR in six months, but, if the new 10-year route kicked in, that would increase it to five and a half years. For people like us who call the UK home, the threat of many more years of fragile visa status would change everything, and is terrifying.

It would be outrageous if the government changed the rules for people who have invested a great deal of time, resources, career and emotional attachment in the UK. If draconian changes were implemented, it would be basic decency if they applied to future UK entrants, and not to current residents.

Besides, there is no evidence to suggest that making the ILR route harder would significantly lower immigration. Restrictions on work and study visas have already dramatically reduced it. The government could very well stop here and be satisfied.

Any further measures would have nothing to do with managing migration and everything to do with scapegoating precarious members of society for political gain. This would be cruel and amoral, and would make Britain worse off.
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