From Sodeeq Kamsela, with agency report
LONDON, UK – In a significant shift in policy, Kemi Badenoch, the newly appointed leader of the Conservative Party, has proposed stricter rules for immigration, including a longer wait time for migrants to apply for British citizenship.
The proposal, the first major announcement by the Tory leader, who is the daughter of an immigrant, seeks to tighten the immigration system and create more stringent conditions for migrants seeking permanent residency.
The centrepiece of Badenoch’s plan is extending the period before migrants can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five years to ten years. After obtaining ILR, migrants would then have to wait an additional five years before applying for British citizenship, raising the total wait from six years to 15 years.
Badenoch emphasized the need for these changes, stating that living in the UK should “actually mean something.”
She explained, “We need to change the way our immigration system works. If you want to stay in our country permanently and apply for indefinite leave to remain, the time you have to live here before you apply would increase from five years to ten years.
“You will have to be a net contributor with a high enough salary, especially if you want to bring family members with you. And if you have a criminal record, you are banned.”
In addition to lengthening the wait for citizenship, Badenoch’s proposal includes tougher measures for welfare access. Migrants who claim benefits, use social housing or have criminal records would be prohibited from settling in the UK permanently.
The plan also introduces a lifetime ban for those who enter the country illegally or overstay their visas, preventing them from ever obtaining leave to remain or a British passport.
Currently, most migrants can apply for ILR after five years of living and working in the UK, with some visa holders qualifying in as little as two or three years. Once granted ILR, individuals can live, work, and study in the UK indefinitely.
After twelve months with ILR, they can apply for British citizenship. The new policy would extend the ILR wait to ten years and require an additional five-year wait before citizenship applications are allowed.
Badenoch argued that the current system has created a “conveyor belt” to citizenship, which she believes puts unnecessary pressure on public services.
“We need to make sure that people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK—no criminal records, they should be net contributors to the economy, not relying on benefits but people who care about our country and our communities,” she said.
The Conservative Party is pushing for these changes to be applied retroactively starting from 2021, with the new rules to be included in the upcoming Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill, which is set to be debated in Parliament next week.
The government has yet to specify how much the policy will reduce migration numbers, but the proposal is already stirring debate over the future of the UK’s immigration system.
Critics argue that the reforms could alienate immigrants who are already contributing to the economy and harm the UK’s global image. However, supporters believe these changes will ensure that only those who truly integrate into British society and contribute to its economy are granted citizenship.
