Nigel Farage has unveiled a plan to tighten restrictions on migrant rights and benefits claims. If his party, Reform UK, secures power, he intends to eliminate indefinite leave to remain for migrants who arrived under the relaxed post-Brexit rules initiated by the Boris Johnson government, known as the “Boriswave.”
The proposal estimates that from 2026 to 2030, approximately 800,000 new migrants will be granted indefinite leave to remain. However, critics have swiftly criticized the plan, calling it unrealistic and lacking a solid foundation.
Indefinite leave to remain is a pathway to citizenship that requires migrants to have resided and worked in the UK for five years. It grants them the freedom to work, live, and study in the UK indefinitely, enabling them to apply for citizenship and access certain benefits if eligible.
Reform UK intends to replace indefinite leave to remain with renewable visas lasting five years, imposing higher salary requirements, stricter English proficiency standards, and prohibiting benefit claims for eligible individuals.
Mr. Farage clarified that there would be no retroactive changes to UK citizenship status, emphasizing that those already granted citizenship will retain their status without alteration. He emphasized that the proposed changes would save UK taxpayers over £230 billion.
Despite the cost-saving claims, doubts have been raised about the accuracy of the figures, with the Centre for Policy Studies distancing itself from the reported savings due to discrepancies in the data.
In response to the criticism, a Labour source dismissed Farage’s announcement as lacking credibility, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves questioned the feasibility of the proposed figures. Farage, however, defended the savings estimate during a press conference without providing substantiating evidence.
Reform UK’s policy chief mentioned a significant salary threshold adjustment for the new visas but did not provide specific details, indicating that more information would be disclosed closer to the upcoming general election.
Concerns also persist regarding public services like the NHS and care sector, heavily reliant on migrant workers. The party’s policy head suggested that care workers would fall under a specialized visa category for skills shortages, emphasizing a capped and regulated system to prevent abuse while mandating employer-funded training programs for British workers. Details on the cap and employer costs remain undisclosed.