The British government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer is planning far-reaching reforms of its immigration system. Adult dependants of foreign workers will be required to pass English language tests, and care homes will no longer be allowed to recruit staff from abroad. These and other measures are aimed at achieving what the government calls “greater control” over migration.
According to the new immigration white paper, set to be presented on Monday, adult dependants must pass an A1-level English test before entering the UK. For visa extensions, an A2-level test will be required; for permanent residency applications, a B2-level test will be necessary. Sources say the government plans to raise language requirements across all immigration routes – potentially affecting even refugees from war zones.
A key goal of the reform is to tie immigration more closely to qualifications and to require companies to invest in training UK-based staff. Work visas for roles that do not require a university degree will be strictly time-limited. In addition, the path to permanent residency will be extended: foreign workers will now have to live in the UK for ten years instead of five before applying for settlement.
Care Sector: Overseas Recruitment to End
One of the most controversial measures is the plan to end the visa route for foreign care workers. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the move in a BBC interview, saying that care providers should recruit from among those already in the country who came in good faith but were exploited by unscrupulous employers. She also said existing visas could be extended or that individuals on other visa types could be hired.
Industry groups have reacted with alarm. Care England, the leading association for care homes, called the move a “crushing blow” to an already fragile sector. “International recruitment wasn’t a silver bullet – but it was a lifeline,” said chief executive Martin Green. The Unison union warned that “hostile language” had already caused a sharp drop in care visa applications.
Tougher Stance on Foreign Offenders
Labour is also tightening rules around the deportation of foreign nationals with criminal convictions. In the future, all foreign nationals convicted of any offence – not just those sentenced to prison – will be reported to the Home Office. The aim is to enable faster deportations, even in less serious cases. Foreign nationals added to the sex offenders register will automatically be classed as serious criminals and lose any protection under UK asylum law, regardless of their sentence.
Pressure on Employers
Companies that repeatedly fail to demonstrate sufficient efforts to hire UK-based staff risk losing their license to sponsor foreign workers. Sectors under particular scrutiny include IT and engineering. A newly established Labour Market Evidence Group will assess which sectors are overly reliant on overseas labour and where domestic training and investment must be increased.
Political Context: Responding to Pressure from Reform UK
The reforms come amid a surge in support for the right-wing populist party Reform UK, which made gains in the local elections on May 1. Labour is now adopting rhetoric and policy proposals long associated with the political right. Starmer is expected to declare that “settlement in this country is a privilege that must be earned, not a right.”
Human rights groups have expressed concern that the government is veering too far toward populism. Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said: “It’s right for ministers to address concerns over immigration – but the public wants principled competence, not populist performance.”
