Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to reduce the number of people moving to Britain over the next four years. He believes the country needs stricter rules about who can live there. Immigration played a major role when British voters chose to leave the European Union in 2016. More people came to Britain after the country left the EU than before, helping Nigel Farage gain support for his Reform UK party.
The government will require newcomers to learn more English before arriving. People must stay longer in Britain before becoming citizens—ten years instead of five. Only college graduates can apply for skilled worker jobs. Starmer promised these changes would lower migration numbers, but he did not set a specific goal for how many fewer people should come.
Business leaders worry these rules might hurt companies that need workers. Starmer dismissed these concerns, saying that more immigration has not helped the economy grow. The number of people moving to Britain reached 906,000 last year, compared to 184,000 in 2019. Many businesses claim they cannot find enough local staff for open jobs. The government still faces problems with asylum seekers arriving on small boats.
The government will require newcomers to learn more English before arriving. People must stay longer in Britain before becoming citizens—ten years instead of five. Only college graduates can apply for skilled worker jobs. Starmer promised these changes would lower migration numbers, but he did not set a specific goal for how many fewer people should come.
Business leaders worry these rules might hurt companies that need workers. Starmer dismissed these concerns, saying that more immigration has not helped the economy grow. The number of people moving to Britain reached 906,000 last year, compared to 184,000 in 2019. Many businesses claim they cannot find enough local staff for open jobs. The government still faces problems with asylum seekers arriving on small boats.
