UK Immigration: Starmer Introduces Major Changes to Visa, Citizenship, and Language Requirements

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced strict new immigration measures to reduce net migration to the United Kingdom significantly.

The changes are detailed in a government White Paper titled Restoring Control Over the Immigration System, released on Monday, 12 May 2025.

The decision comes after net migration reached 728,000 in the year to June 2024, down from a peak of 903,000 the previous year but still far above pre-Brexit levels.

Starmer criticised what he described as an “almost addicted” reliance on cheap foreign labour and pledged to replace it with investment in domestic skills.

“This is a clean break from the past and will ensure settlement in this country is a privilege that must be earned, not a right,” Starmer said during a press conference.

Key Measures Introduced

1. English Language Requirements Expanded

For the first time, adult dependants of visa applicants must also pass English tests. These new requirements will apply across all visa categories. The government argues this will improve integration and reduce pressure on services.

2. Longer Route to Settlement and Citizenship

The government will double the time required to qualify for settlement from five to ten years, with exceptions only for people making a “significant contribution” to the economy or society.

A contributions-based model will be introduced to assess eligibility for settlement and citizenship. Further details will be presented in Parliament later this year.

3. Closure of Overseas Social Care Visa Route

Starting in 2025, new applications for social care visas from abroad will no longer be accepted. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said this measure would reduce the number of lower-skilled workers entering the UK by up to 50,000 next year.

Workers already in the UK under this route may extend or switch their visas during a transition period until 2028.

“We are not saying carers are unskilled,” Cooper told the BBC. “But this system has allowed excessive dependency on overseas recruitment instead of building local workforce plans.”

4. Higher Salary and Skills Thresholds for Work Visas

The skilled worker visa threshold will be raised. Only jobs at graduate-level (RQF level 6) or higher will be eligible. Salary thresholds will also increase. The Immigration Salary List, which allowed lower salary requirements in shortage occupations, will be abolished.

5. Stricter Student Visa and Sponsorship Rules

Educational institutions sponsoring international students will face tighter oversight. Those close to breaching sponsor obligations will be subject to improvement plans and limits on recruiting new students. The post-study work visa will be shortened from two years to 18 months.

6. Legal and Family Migration Reform

The government will simplify immigration routes for family life and limit how legal arguments, such as those based on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, are used to resist deportation.

7. Measures on Deportation and Asylum

Foreign nationals convicted of crimes will face faster deportation, including those who do not receive prison sentences. The government will review laws to make it easier to remove individuals who pose risks, especially in cases of violence against women and girls.

8. High-Skilled Talent and Economic Growth

While tightening rules, the government also aims to expand routes for high-skilled individuals. Changes will be made to the Global Talent Visa, the Innovator Founder Visa, and the High Potential Individual Route, focusing on sectors like science, engineering, and technology.

However, the proposals have caused political debate. Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, said Labour “can’t be trusted to protect the UK’s borders.” Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, accused Starmer of “making promises he can’t keep.” Reform has called for an immediate freeze on all immigration.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticised Labour’s record on illegal migration and said that the government had “overseen the worst start to a year for illegal crossings.” However, Labour says the reforms do not yet include final plans on small boat crossings, which will be detailed in a separate asylum and border bill expected later this summer.

Dr Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, said the extended settlement period is unlikely to significantly reduce immigration in the short term. She added that the English language requirement for dependents could have a greater impact, though there is little data to predict how many applicants would be affected.

“The biggest impact will be on settlement and on visa fees,” Dr Sumption said. “It may also slow down migrants’ long-term plans to remain.”

The government has not set a new net migration target. Cooper stated the previous government’s targets had failed and that Labour would instead use evidence and data to shape immigration policy over time.

The new immigration rules will begin rolling out in mid-2025, with full implementation expected throughout the current Parliament.