London
Nearly three years ago, Rachana Thapa (name changed) arrived in the UK for her studies, but she later dropped out and obtained a work-permit visa instead. Although it cost her around Rs 2 million, the work-permit status allowed her to stay in the UK securely.
Under this route, she expected to get permanent residency (PR) quickly, work unlimited hours, and avoid the worries that student visa holders face such as not finding part-time jobs or dealing with heavy assignment loads. At that time, it was possible to switch from a student visa to a work-permit visa before completing one’s studies, a rule that has now been discontinued.
However, the UK government’s newly proposed rules have caused her significant stress. “I spent so much money and struggled, believing I would get PR after two years. But the news that the requirement will now be extended to 10 years has made me restless,” she said. “After increasing it to 10 years, it’s impossible for us to stay with the same company for that long. Returning to Nepal seems like the only option.”
Abhishek Basnet, who completed his MSc in International Business Management on September 18 and is currently working full-time on a Post-Study Work (PSW) visa, says his faint hope of settling in the UK has now vanished.
“I could somehow manage five years. But with the government’s announcement that we need to complete 10 years, going back home is the only choice,” he said.
After the UK announced its biggest immigration reform in nearly 50 years, concerns and anxiety are rising everywhere, just as expressed by these two individuals. Thousands of Nepalis are also certain to be affected by the proposed rules.
On November 20, UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood presented a plan in Parliament to extend the required period for obtaining Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five years to 10.
According to the BBC, this rule will also apply to an estimated 2.6 million immigrants who have been in the UK since 2021.
The government has also proposed that immigrants who are living illegally or dependent on state benefits will have to wait 20 to 30 years to obtain PR. This is considered the toughest requirement in Europe.
The new reform, the government says, will make the UK’s residency system the most controlled and selective in Europe.
Announcing the changes in the House of Commons, Home Secretary Mahmood said, “Migration will always be an important part of the UK. But in recent years, the scale of arrivals has been unprecedented.”
Under the proposal, immigrants who are legally in the UK may have to wait up to 20 years to gain permanent settlement rights. Those who entered illegally or overstayed their visas will have to wait up to 30 years.
Low-income workers such as the 616,000 people who came under the Health and Social Care visa between 2022 and 2024, including their dependents will have to wait 15 years to get PR. The government had already shut down this visa route earlier this year after widespread misuse.
For high taxpayers, individuals with exceptional global talent, and public service workers, the PR requirement may be reduced.
The Home Secretary said that while 1.6 million people were expected to gain settlement rights between 2026 and 2030, this will now change.
The reform will not apply to those who have already received ILR or who arrived before 2021. This package is an addition to the immigration changes the Home Secretary announced last week.
The government plans to implement the changes from spring 2026, after the consultation period ends on February 12.
Currently, ILR allows individuals to live permanently in the UK, work without restrictions, and access public services. It is also considered a major step toward obtaining British citizenship.
According to solicitor Deepak Bhattarai, President of the Britain Nepal Lawyers Association, the proposed standard waiting period for ILR will be 10 years.
Valid immigrants who have claimed benefits for less than 12 months will have to wait 15 years. Those who have received benefits for more than 12 months will have to wait 20 years, four times longer than the current requirement and the longest in Europe.
People who arrived on the Health and Social Care visa after Brexit will have to wait 15 years, compared to the current five.
“The new ‘contribution-based model’ sets mandatory conditions for settlement, including a clean criminal record, three years of National Insurance (NI) contributions, and A-Level English proficiency,” Bhattarai said.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned that the proposed rules could force nearly 50,000 nursing staff to leave the UK. Urging the government to scrap the plan to double the ILR waiting period, the RCN said the changes could worsen staffing shortages and endanger patient care.
