Proposed UK Visa Changes That Could Affect Kenyans and Other Foreign Nationals
United Kingdom (UK) Reform leader Nigel Farage has unveiled plans to scrap he right of migrants to qualify for permanent settlement in the UK after five years if the party wins the next general election.
Under the proposal, all migrants with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) – a permanent status that grants rights and access to benefits – would be required to reapply for new visas.
Applicants would have to meet certain criteria, including a higher salary threshold and a better standard of English, and strict limits on whether spouses or family members could join.
Additionally, migrants would be required to live in the UK for seven years instead of five before qualifying, with stricter rules on bringing in spouses and children.
The new visa would exclude migrants from accessing benefits, with Reform also proposing to restrict welfare services exclusively to British citizens.
Reform said it would scrap ILR and replace it with visas requiring renewal every five years.
The policy, they argue, is aimed at addressing what they call the “Boriswave” – the 3.8 million people who entered the UK under Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit migration rules.
Many of the migrants, including those who arrived through schemes for Ukraine, Hong Kong, and Afghanistan, will soon qualify for permanent residence.
Reform insists the changes would bring Britain in line with countries such as the UAE and reduce long-term costs. However,
Proposed UK Visa Changes
Nigel Farage has said the policy would scrap the main route migrants take to gain British citizenship, leaving tens of thousands of legally settled people at risk of deportation unless they meet strict new requirements.
He added that the era of “cheap, low-skill foreign labour” would be brought to an end.
Under the proposals, non-citizens would be required to reapply for visas with higher salary thresholds, reported at about Ksh10,457,262 (£60,000) – a sharp increase from the current skilled worker visa threshold of Ksh7,267,797(£41,700).
Clarification on Indefinite Leave to Remain Policy
The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) has moved to clarify figures being cited by Reform UK regarding the cost of migrants gaining Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
In a statement on September 22, the think tank noted that Reform had referred to its February report, which included rough estimates of the financial implications of hundreds of thousands of migrants soon to become eligible for ILR.
Earlier, the Reform Party claimed that the measures to scrap ILR would save £234 billion over several decades.
However, the CPS explained that after the report’s publication, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) revised some fiscal definitions, meaning the original cost estimates should no longer be used.
“After the CPS’ report was published, the Office for Budget Responsibility revised their definitions of some of the fiscal data contained within our report, meaning that the overall cost estimates should no longer be used. The CPS has been in communication with the OBR and other experts for clarity and will be publishing an updated estimate in due course,” read part of the statement.
“The changes do not impact our analysis of the visa data or projections for the numbers likely to gain ILR on different visa routes.”
