The government has proposed sweeping changes to the UK’s asylum system in a bid to reduce incentives for illegal immigrants and better police its borders.
In its Restoring Order and Control policy paper published on Monday, the government outlined a series of new rules that will apply to asylum seekers arriving in the UK.
“Our failure to change with this changing world has drawn ever more migrants to our shores,” said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
“We have become the destination of choice in Europe, clearly visible to every people smuggler and would-be illegal migrant across the world.”
She outlined a new asylum model for the UK that is more akin to that of Denmark, where refugee status is no longer permanent and a ‘core protection’ is offered that omits much of the support enjoyed by refugees living in the country today.
Below is a brief outline of the biggest changes introduced in the policy paper.
20-year wait for settled status
Under a new ‘core protection’ offer that will apply to refugees in the UK, support for those with refugee status will be limited to what is required by international obligations.
Most significantly, initial leave to remain for refugees will be reduced from five years to 30 months and will only be renewed if protection is still needed.
There will be no indefinite leave to remain option available to refugees until they have spent 20 years in the United Kingdom. Full requirements and exceptions will be detailed after further consultation.
No more duty to support asylum seekers
The proposed new rules revoke the UK’s legal obligation to support destitute asylum seekers. Providing financial and other support to refugees will now be discretionary and subject to their compliance with the law and eligibility.
Those who have the right to work, or who have broken the law, made themselves intentionally destitute, or who do not comply with the required conditions will be denied support by the government.
Additionally, refugees with assets or income will be required to contribute to the cost of their support upon entering the UK.
Annual refugee arrivals to be capped
The number of refugees arriving through safe and legal routes will be capped to a certain number based on the capacity of the community to support these arrivals.
These legal routes will be expanded to allow in a capped number of students and skilled workers seeking asylum, and there will also be more opportunity for communities to volunteer support for refugees.
There will be no automatic right to family reunion, although those who successfully move off core protection and enter a Work and Study visa route could become eligible to sponsor family members to come to the UK.
Failed asylum seekers to be returned home
Failed asylum seekers entering the UK will be removed to their country of origin or to ‘return hubs’ in safe third countries.
The government said it is exploring enforcing returns to a greater number of countries around the world, and has imposed a visa ban on Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo for their lack of cooperation on removals.
The government will offer financial support for voluntary family removals and will escalate this to enforced removals if necessary.
Crackdown on illegal workers
Proposals include increased enforcement on illegal working in the UK, with the government planning record levels of raids and penalties for employers that hire illegal workers.
Thanks to the introduction of Digital ID, mandatory right-to-work checks will be introduced by the end of the parliament, cracking down on illegal employment.
Right-to-work checks will also be expanded to the gig economy, including sub-contracted and self-employed workers such as delivery drivers.
The government noted that broader requirements for indefinite leave to remain will be considered in an upcoming consultation on earned settlement, which will apply to both legal and illegal migrants.
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