UK to extend path to permanent settlement for refugees to 20 years

New Delhi, Nov 16: Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will on Monday unveil plans to overhaul the UK’s asylum system, proposing that people granted refugee status wait 20 years before becoming eligible for permanent settlement, BBC reported.

The reform, aimed at reducing small-boat arrivals and asylum claims, would replace the current five-year route to indefinite leave to remain. Under the proposals, refugee status would become strictly temporary, with reviews every two-and-a-half years and removal for those whose home countries are later deemed safe.

At present, refugees receive five years of protection before they can apply to settle permanently. Mahmood told the Sunday Times the measures are intended to discourage irregular migration, warning that “illegal migration is tearing our country apart”. She said the government must act to “unite our country” and prevent further division. The approach mirrors Denmark’s model, where refugees hold short-term residence permits that must be repeatedly renewed. The plans are expected to face resistance from some Labour MPs. Opposition parties and charities also voiced concerns. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Max Wilkinson said it was sensible to explore new options but warned Labour not to treat the measures as a substitute for clearing the asylum backlog. Enver Solomon of the Refugee Council called the proposals “harsh and unnecessary”, arguing they would not deter people fleeing persecution or war.