Keir Starmer to give major Downing Street press conference on migration
Keir Starmer will give a Downing Street press conference shortly as the Government unveils a major immigration crackdown.
The Prime Minister will promise a “clean break with the past” as he sets out sweeping reforms to reduce net migration. Addressing the nation, he will promise that “enforcement will be tougher than ever and migration numbers will fall”.
He is expected to speak at around 8.30am ahead of the Government publishing its long-awaited immigration white paper. This will contain a string of measures to make it harder for people to permanently settle in the UK.
Migrants will need to live in Britain for a decade before they can apply for citizenship – instead of the current five year period. However, high-skilled workers such as nurses, doctors, engineers and AI leaders could be fast-tracked under the plans. English language requirements will be tightened across all visa routes – and all adult dependents will be required to demonstrate a basic understanding of English.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree and a care visa route for overseas workers will be closed under the plans, sparking a fierce backlash from industry bosses. The Government is battling to slash net migration – the difference between people arriving in the UK and leaving it – which ballooned to 728,000 in 2024 despite a string of Tory PMs promising to get numbers down.
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