DAVID BARRETT: Labour’s time bomb of up to 2.2million migrants set to win the right to remain here permanently

Labour’s plans to extend the time migrants must wait for permanent settlement may be watered down, as growing numbers become eligible under the current five-year rule. The article argues this could increase pressure on public finances and welfare services, while presenting the issue as a test of the Government’s ability to change immigration rules.

It says at least 200,000 migrants have received settled status since proposals to tighten the rules were outlined last autumn. More than a million people came to the UK after pandemic travel restrictions eased, and their settlement applications are expected to rise, peaking in 2028. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood had proposed a ten-year standard qualifying period, longer waits for lower-skilled workers and benefit claimants, and a faster route for some high earners; the article says the final proposals may be less restrictive. It also cites Home Office estimates that post-pandemic arrivals could cost taxpayers about £10 billion.