Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of maintaining the five year qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain for visa holders in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including settlement.

This will include an expansion of the Points-Based System that will increase the standard qualifying period for settlement to ten years. However, through the expansion of the Points-Based System, individuals will also have the opportunity to reduce the qualifying period based on contributions to the UK economy and society.

I welcomed the opportunity to listen to the views of Members in the recent 8th September Westminster Hall Debate on settlement.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year. All will be welcome to participate. We will provide details of how the scheme will work after that consultation.