Leader of the UK Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has called on the Labour government to maintain its proposal requiring migrants on temporary work visas to wait 10 years before qualifying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the United Kingdom.
Badenoch made the appeal in a post on X, where she also released a letter addressed to the UK’s Home Secretary, warning against plans to soften the proposed immigration reforms.
According to her, temporary work visas should not automatically become a pathway to permanent residency in Britain.
“People who come to Britain on temporary work visas should not automatically be able to stay forever,” Badenoch wrote.
She urged Labour to stand by its original proposal, saying the Conservative Party would support the legislation if it is presented to Parliament without any changes.
In the jointly signed letter with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, the Conservatives criticised reports suggesting the government could exempt about two million migrants who entered the UK on work visas between 2021 and the present from the tougher residency rules.
Badenoch described such a move as a mistake, arguing that the current five-year pathway to permanent settlement is too short.
She maintained that extending the waiting period to 10 years would help ensure that only migrants making a meaningful economic contribution are allowed to settle permanently in the UK.
According to her, migrants who remain unemployed or work in low-paying jobs for an extended period should return to their home countries once their temporary visas expire.
The Conservative leader also argued that granting permanent residency after five years places additional pressure on Britain’s welfare system, since successful applicants become eligible for public benefits and can later apply for British citizenship.
Badenoch insisted that changing the qualifying period would not amount to applying the rules retrospectively, stressing that temporary work visas do not guarantee permanent residence.
She concluded by offering cross-party support for Labour’s original immigration proposals, saying the government’s handling of the reforms would show whether it is serious about strengthening border control and reducing long-term migration.
Source: The Telegraph/X.
