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Future Citizenship Policies
Under the previous Labour Government plans were announced for a new points based ‘Earned Citizenship’ system which would radically change the way economic migrants went about securing Permanent Residence (Indefinite Leave to Remain) and British Citizenship (UK Naturalisation). These plans were abolished by the Coalition Government upon taking power however changes to the Permanent Residence / UK Citizenship system are expected to be addressed in the near future, possibly 2011.
In the past few years Britain has awarded more immigrants citizenship than any other European Union (EU) country. Recent Eurostat statistics show that one in five new EU citizens since 2002 has been made a British Citizen. Between 2002 and 2008 more than 1 million people were made UK citizens out of a total 4.9 million new EU citizens across the whole continent.
In response to citizenship statistics and aggressive Government plans to curb the number of migrants coming to the UK the Immigration Minister Damian Green is expected to announce that the number of immigration routes that lead to citizenship will be greatly reduced in the future.
If you wish to apply under the current system Commonwealth Contractors can help to ensure your British Citizenship or Indefinite Leave application is successful. Our knowledgeable OISC Registered Immigration Advisors can conduct an assessment to see whether you meet current criteria. To find out more please complete our ILR / British Citizenship Assessment Form or call now on 0800 294 4388.
The previously proposed Earned Citizenship System
Although plans for the ‘Earned Citizenship’ system were abolished following the Coalition Governments General Election victory the new Government may choose to use some of the previously proposed points in any new system. Details of the Earned Citizenship proposals have therefore been detailed below.
The prior Labour Government proposed a three stage system for dealing with migrants who wished to secure Permanent Residence or British Citizenship in the UK.
Stage 1: Temporary Residence
The Temporary Residence stage of ‘Earned Citizenship’ would have lasted 5 years for Economic Migrants with the stage remaining much the same as the existing system whereby economic migrants (such as Tier 1 Visa holders and Tier 2 Visa holders) spend 5 unbroken years in the UK to qualify for ILR. Breaks are considered to be any more than 90 days in any one year.
In order to pass to the Probationary Citizenship stage an applicant would have had to:
- Obey the Law
- Pass a Life in the UK Test
- Prove that they have been Economically Active for 5 full years (payslips and employer references will be required)
Stage 2: Probationary Citizenship
Once an applicant had spent 5 years on Temporary Residence he or she would have become eligible for ‘Probationary Citizenship’. At this stage the individual would have decided whether to work towards:
- British Citizenship (minimum 1 year, maximum 5 years), OR
- Permanent Residence (minimum 3 years)
Those that opted to work towards British Citizenship could have reduced the qualification period by 2 years by participating in ‘Active Citizenship’. Those that participated in serving the community (e.g. taking part in an activity that advances education or health, social & community welfare, culture or sport, mentoring etc) would have obtained Citizenship earlier than those individuals that did not.
In order to move to British Citizenship or Permanent Residence Status the individual would have needed to prove that he /she had been economically active during the Probationary Citizenship stage.
Stage 3: British Citizenship or Permanent Residence
Once an Individual had passed the Temporary Residence & Probationary Citizenship stages he or she could have applied for:
- British Citizenship: Full entitlement to UK rights and benefits. Once UK Citizenship had been secured an individual could have applied for a British Passport
- Permanent Residence: Permanent Residence was available to those that did not want to become a full British Citizen; however it was possible to move to British Citizenship at a later date if required.
