Refugees seeking permanent settlement in the UK will face longer wait times than the current five-year period under proposed government reforms to the asylum system. The government has also confirmed plans to permanently abolish the route that allowed refugees to settle in the UK with close family members automatically, a pathway that was temporarily suspended in September.
Chief Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer commented on these changes, stating that “there will be no golden ticket to permanent settlement in the UK; people will have to earn it,” emphasizing a shift toward a merit-based approach within the broader UK settlement status process. This proposal coincides with ongoing discussions at the European Political Community summit in Copenhagen, where Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is meeting with European leaders to address illegal migration challenges and how refugees settle in the UK. Ahead of that summit, he announced that fundamental reforms are underway to demonstrate that “settlement must be earned by contributing to the country.
