Labour to Tighten Immigration with English Tests and 10-Year Settlement Delay Amid Rising Reform UK Support

Report by Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to unveil a sweeping immigration overhaul on Monday, introducing new English language requirements and restricting care home recruitment from abroad in response to mounting political pressure and growing support for Reform UK.

Under the new Labour plans, all adults accompanying foreign workers to the UK will be required to pass a basic English language test. Additionally, the right to settle in the UK will no longer be automatic after five years — instead, foreign workers will have to wait ten years before applying for permanent residency.

The proposals, to be outlined in Labour’s long-anticipated white paper on immigration, come after Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party made significant gains in recent local elections.

Key Measures Announced:

• Mandatory English Language Tests at progressive levels (A1 for entry, A2 for visa extensions, and B2 for settlement).
• 10-Year Wait for Settlement for foreign workers, replacing the current 5-year rule.
• Ban on Overseas Recruitment for care home staff under the care worker visa route.
• Crackdown on Foreign Criminals, with expanded deportation powers.
• Employer Responsibility to prioritize and train UK-based staff.
• Degree Requirement for skilled workers entering the UK.

Starmer is expected to declare that “settlement in this country is a privilege that must be earned, not a right,” calling for new arrivals to commit to integration and language learning.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, confirmed on Sunday that care homes will no longer be able to hire from overseas, stating the sector should instead hire from among existing visa holders already in the UK, many of whom have been exploited by unethical recruiters.

The Labour government is also considering tightening language requirements for refugees, potentially requiring proficiency testing even for those fleeing conflict zones before entry.