UK proposes stricter residency rules amid growing non‑UK workforce in London

Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood is set to announce new conditions for migrants applying for indefinite leave to remain in Britain. The proposals, to be detailed at the Labour Party’s annual conference, would require applicants to contribute to the national insurance system, maintain a clean criminal record, limit welfare claims, meet higher English‑language standards and provide evidence of community volunteering. The move comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government faces pressure from Reform UK, whose leader Nigel Farage has called for the wholesale replacement of permanent residency with renewable five‑year work visas.

A recent analysis of London’s labour market shows non‑UK workers now account for 43 % of payrolled employment in the capital, double the UK average. EU‑national employment continues to fall, while workers from the rest of the world have risen to around 1.3 million, or 28 % of total jobs. The data underscores the increasing reliance on international labour and provides context for the government’s proposed tightening of residency rules.