SIR Keir Starmer is unveiling a sweeping immigration overhaul — vowing to end the era of “open borders”;; and close loopholes that let foreign offenders dodge deportation.
The Prime Minister said the system will be “controlled, selective and fair”;; as he set out a major shake-up aimed at cutting legal migration and restoring confidence after Reform UK’s surge at the .
Migrants will now have to spend up to ten years in the UK before applying for citizenship.
English language tests will be toughened across all visa routes, and for the first time, family members of migrants will also need to speak the language and show a “commitment to integration”;;.
The care worker visa will be closed to new overseas recruits — a route ministers blame for contributing to record levels of migration.
Only “high-contributing”;; migrants, such as doctors and nurses, will be eligible for fast-tracked settlement.
Sir Keir will also promise to stop foreign criminals using laws to block deportation.
He told The Sun last night: “If you break British law, you give up your right to be here.”;;
He added: “Sun readers are right to wonder what’s going on when migrants with no right to be in the UK are allowed to arrive and stay, based on spurious reading of the rules.
“We’re going to get a grip. As part of the Immigration White Paper that I will say more on today, we will make sure it is that makes the rules on immigration.”;;
Home Secretary yesterday also confirmed the care visa route would be shut, telling Sky News: “We will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment.”;;
She said cutting “lower-skilled”;; routes could reduce visas by up to 50,000 this year.
And speaking to the BBC, she added: “We will allow them to continue to extend visas and also to recruit from more than 10,000 people who came on a care worker visa, where the sponsorship visa was cancelled.”;;
The plans come after net migration stood at 728,000 in the year to mid-2024, with most arrivals entering legally through work, study or family routes.
Despite the crackdown, critics said Labour was not going far enough.
The Tories accused Labour of pinching their plans, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp saying: “Starmer is the same man who wrote letters protesting against deporting dangerous foreign criminals and has overseen the worst ever start to a year for illegal immigrants crossing the channel.
“The idea that Starmer is tough on immigration is a joke.”;;
The Reform party added: “Labour’s announcement today merely tinkers around the edges. This plan is doomed to fail.”;;
