Overview

• The immigration white paper confirms a 10-year residency requirement for citizenship, up from five, under a new contributions-based model.
• Overseas students face a reduced Graduate Route of 18 months, alongside a 6% levy on international tuition fees, projected to cost universities £600 million annually.
• Stricter English language requirements are introduced for all visa routes, including dependents, and recruitment of overseas care workers will end by 2028.
• The government estimates the reforms could reduce net migration by 100,000 annually, though critics question the economic and social impacts.
• Rights groups and Labour MPs criticize the rhetoric used by Starmer, with comparisons to divisive historical speeches, while universities and healthcare sectors warn of workforce challenges.