British politicians are proposing to end automatic settlement for migrants, raising the necessary period to apply for settlement from the current five years to ten years.
The proposal, which is part of the stringent measures that the UK government is implementing to reduce immigration to the country, could also impact the economy, especially in recruiting foreign workers, Schengen.News reports.
If approved, the new rules will put at risk the future of thousands of Europeans who hope to make the UK their new home.
European Migrants to Have Restricted Access to Resettling in the UK
As the Financial Times reports, migrants to the UK will have to spend longer periods of time in the country to be eligible for settlement. This is one of many changes that are expected to happen in the UK.
Another change includes the skilled worker visas. Employers have been given temporary access to visas for lower-skilled roles in professions with staff shortages.
All these changes are making the UK a less favourable destination for foreign workers, although the country does encounter labour shortages across many sectors.
According to Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary, it will be unlikely for care workers to come to the UK once the changes are implemented, reducing arrivals by 50,000 per year.
UK Remains Determined to Reduce Net Migration
The UK government has worked to cut net migration to the country, as in the 2022 and 2023 period, net migration reached a historic high.
Data by the Office for Budget Responsibility reveals that by the middle of 2024, the net migration stood at 728,000. This number is expected to be halved in the medium term due to the visa restrictions that have been introduced.
Currently, the EU and the UK are discussing a youth mobility schemewhich would allow young Brits and Europeans to live and work in the respective countries without having to apply for visas.
These efforts aim at improving the relations between the EU and the UK, which have had their moments since Brexit.
It is so important that we rebuild those trading relationships with our nearest neighbours in Europe, and we’re going to do that in a way that is good for British jobs and British consumers.
In 2023, the official data by the House of Commons Library reveal that there are 3.4 million EU nationals living in the UK, representing around 18 per cent of the England and Wales population. Moreover, about 11.4 million were non-UK-born residents in England and Wales.
The UK is the country of origin for about 994,000 people living in the EU countries as of 2024, as the data shows.