UK risks becoming an ‘island of strangers’ without stricter immigration rules: British PM Starmer

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has that the United Kingdom risks becoming an “island of strangers” without stronger and stricter immigration curbs. Addressing the media after releasing the Immigration White Paper, he announced that the residency period required to obtain permanent settlement in Britain has been extended from five to 10 years. 

He also made it clear that the government is increasing the skill thresholds for migrant workers, raising the degree level required, and tightening the English language requirements. He detailed that the White Paper sets out, every area of the immigration system – work, family, and study – will be tightened up so that the government has more control.

Mr Starmer promised that the government’s new immigration measures will mean net migration falls



“significantly” over the next four years. He unveiled plans to ban recruitment of care workers from overseas, tighten access to skilled worker visas and raise the costs to employers to curb near record net migration. He did not set a precise target, but the Home Office estimated the policies could lead to a 100,000 drop in immigration per year by 2029, based on analysis of just eight of the core policies where “a quantitative assessment” could be made.

The Conservatives have announced they plan to support policies such as tightening visas. The Liberal Democrats said it was right for the government to tackle immigration, but the party’s Home Affairs spokesperson Lisa Smart called for a clear plan to make it easier to recruit British workers to fill vacancies instead.