U.K. toughens immigration requirements, including English language proficiency
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Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a press conference on immigration at Downing Street on May 12 in London, England. Photo: Ian Vogler/WPA Pool via Getty Images
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that the U.K. will implement new English language requirements for immigrants, alongside a slew of other immigration reforms.
Why it matters: The move represents a crackdown on immigration across Great Britain as the nation's Reform Party, with its staunchly anti-immigration policies, has seen a spike in support.
- "If you want to live in the UK, you should speak English. That's common sense," Starmer said in a post on X.
- U.K. immigration laws have required international students and some workers to be proficient in English, but now any adult dependents must also show their grasp of the language. All skilled workers are now included in the new requirements.
- Visa extensions will also require illustrating increased proficiency in the language, and again, when seeking to remain permanently in the U.K.
Driving the news: Starmer released an 82-page white paper on Monday with details on his plans to overhaul the immigration system.
- Starmer's plan includes doubling the time it takes for immigrants to qualify for citizenship or the right to stay permanently, from five to 10 years.
- Skilled worker visas will require a university degree. For other occupations, immigration will depend on long-term labor shortages.
- Families will need to be able to financially support migrating relatives and overseas recruitment for social care visas — intended for those who work in disability or elderly caregiving — will end.
What they're saying: "We will take back control of our borders," Starmer said in remarks at a Monday news conference from Downing Street.
- Parliament member Zarah Sultana criticized Starmer's speech for echoing the exclusionary rhetoric of British politician Enoch Powell.
- Powell's 1968 "rivers of blood" speech, where he criticized immigration and a 1965 Race Relations bill, became one of modern British history's most divisive addresses, per the Guardian.
State of play: Starmer's center-left Labor Party has long been more welcoming to migrants than many of the other major political parties, making the hardline turn particularly jarring.
Yes, but: Dissatisfaction with the Labour Party is high, and the right-wing Reform Party is surging in polls as the U.K. has seen record immigration levels.
- According to the Office of National Statistics, 906,000 immigrants entered the United Kingdom in fiscal year 2023. Numbers for 2024 were lower, at around 728,000, per the Guardian.
Zoom out: Reform Party leader Nigel Farage has made anti-immigrant sentiment a large part of his party's platform, putting pressure on current leadership to address it.
- Last year, Farage called for a "freeze" on non-essential immigration to the U.K., as well as cutting back government waste.
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