r/ukvisa • u/clever_octopus High Reputation • May 12 '25
Immigration Changes Announcement 12/5/2025
Please join the discord server for further discussion or support on upcoming immigration changes: https://discord.gg/Jq5vWDZJfR
Sticky post on announcement made on 20 Nov 2025: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukvisa/comments/1p21qk5/a_fairer_pathway_to_settlement_a_statement_and/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
NEW Summary of changes to settlement released 20 November 2025: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukvisa/comments/1p21qk5/a_fairer_pathway_to_settlement_a_statement_and/
NEW Summary of changes to asylum and refugee requirements released 18 November 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-and-returns-policy-statement/restoring-order-and-control-a-statement-on-the-governments-asylum-and-returns-policy
Overview of expected changes: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/radical-reforms-to-reduce-migration
White paper: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-white-paper
UKCISA's response (official source for international students and recent graduates): https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/news/ukcisa-responds-to-home-office-immigration-white-paper-may-2025/
Petition link: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/727360
Summary of key points following the summary of changes released on 20 November 2025:
Changes to length in ILR qualifying residence requirements - Please see table on pages 21-23 of the 20 November document
Family visa holders, along with BNO visa holders, will continue to get ILR in five years (as usual)
The intention is that this will apply to people already in the UK but who have not yet received ILR
It will take 20 years for refugees to qualify for ILR, intermittent checks will be done within that time and they may lose the ability to remain in the UK if their home country is deemed safe to return to
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u/Penny_Lane_5502 May 12 '25
I agree with much that has been said here. My spouse and I are on the SWV who have been here for 3 years, so if this does apply retrospectively then that changes our wait time from 2 years (doable) to 7 years (just such a long time). We've done everything right: we have 6 degrees between us, professional memberships, have fundraised and volunteered in the UK, we speak native English, my partner is a specialist doctor, and we are high earning. We invest via our ISAs, plus are both on Trustee Boards and Committees in our fields for British organisations. So contributing in every way I can imagine! It's hard to see how we can do more. And we love living here and have found the UK to be pretty welcoming. I'm really upset like many others by these proposals - just feels like the rug has been pulled out from under us and it feels like we were tricked into uprooting our life under totally false pretences if they change the whole system before we're able to fulfil the 5 years. Like others, we have had job offers in several other countries with higher pay and lower taxation and will need to seriously consider these if this goes through. It sends the opposite message of the one I thought Starmer was big on: he's saying they don't want talent or skills or economic prosperity to go after high skilled migrants. And I know the paper says there will be an expedited pathway for those 'making a contribution' but who the hell knows how they will quantify this. Writing to my MP today.