UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood Tightens Settlement Rules, Halving 500,000 Long-Term Stays

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced significant changes to UK immigration rules that will prevent roughly 500,000 foreign workers and their dependants from settling in the country after five years. In a Today programme interview, Mahmood said the new rules are designed to reduce long-term settlement, marking a major shift in post-Brexit immigration policy. The move aligns with the prime minister’s call for an “honest discussion” about how immigration has changed since leaving the EU. Separately, the EU and UK have completed a deal to remove Brexit checks on food and animal product imports, easing trade friction. The immigration tightening will affect sectors reliant on foreign labour, potentially reshaping workforce dynamics. Businesses may face labour shortages, while the government aims to curb population growth. The changes underscore a broader political shift toward stricter immigration control, with long-term implications for the UK’s economy and society.