Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is set to unveil plans to force all migrants with permanent residency to reapply for visas under stricter criteria, including a higher salary requirement and a better standard of English.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Reform UK Policy Chief Zia Yusuf said that this will include plans to eject hundreds of thousands of legal migrants in an unprecedented reversal of Britain’s relaxed border rules.
“Many of those who will lose their leave to remain are entirely dependent on the welfare state and will leave voluntarily upon losing access to benefits. Those that don’t will be subject to immigration enforcement as part of our mass deportation programme,” he said.
Yusuf also confirmed that Reform plans to abolish indefinite leave to remain (ILR) entirely within 100 days of a Reform government winning office, forcing economic migrants to apply for visas with stricter conditions.
A different tactic
The move comes as the UK plans to stimulate economic growth by luring the world’s best scientists, academics and digital experts, the Financial Times reports.
One option being considered is abolishing visa charges for top-level professionals, according to people briefed on the discussions inside Number 10 and the Treasury.
Notably, the decision has been given an extra push by US President Donald Trump who last week announced that the country would increase the application fee for an H-1B visa to $100,000, which is heavily relied on by US tech groups.
“This isn’t about diluting our determination to bring down net migration but it’s about getting the brightest and best into Britain. There is unity across government on this,” an unnamed official told the Financial Times.
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