Foreign nationals who have established their lives in the United Kingdom over many years now face profound uncertainty as Labour's proposed immigration crackdown threatens to dismantle their futures. The sweeping reforms announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood could leave thousands in limbo, with retroactive changes potentially resetting their settlement clocks or forcing them to leave the country entirely.
Thirteen Years of Integration Under Threat
Julian Grant arrived in the UK as an enthusiastic undergraduate student thirteen years ago, falling in love with Scotland's charm during his modern history studies at the University of St Andrews. The American-born academic returned in 2017 to complete a master's degree in Scottish history at the University of Glasgow and has lived continuously in Britain ever since.
Despite growing up in New Hampshire and Vermont, Mr Grant has dedicated himself to studying and preserving Scottish history, completing a PhD on the impact of the famous North Coast 500 tourism route in the Highlands. He volunteers to preserve a local church building near his Edinburgh home, speaks with a soft Scottish accent, and holds a season ticket for Hibernian Football Club.
Now aged 31, Mr Grant faces the prospect of abandoning the life and community he has built when Labour's immigration changes take effect in April. He represents thousands of foreign nationals who fear having their British futures snatched away by reforms that would scrap the ten-year route to residence he was counting on for settlement.
Retroactive Changes Create Widespread Anxiety
The proposed overhaul introduces a new ten-year wait for indefinite leave to remain, extends this to fifteen years for care workers, and imposes a twenty-year wait for refugees. These new waiting periods will be based on income thresholds, English language proficiency, criminal records, and benefit claims history.
Most significantly, the changes will apply retroactively, affecting all foreign nationals who do not already possess indefinite leave to remain in the UK. This represents a fundamental shift from the current system where skilled workers and spouses can apply for settlement after five years, while those who have spent substantial time as students or graduates can use the ten-year long residence route.
Mr Grant expressed devastation upon learning of the proposals, stating: "It takes a huge amount of money and planning and care to build a life in a new place. You invest all those things trusting that there is a stable pathway for people who follow the rules and contribute and have a sincere wish to integrate."
Professional and Personal Lives in Jeopardy
The uncertainty extends beyond settlement timelines to practical employment concerns. Mr Grant worries about new salary requirements that potential jobs in conservation and history sectors may not meet. His current leave to remain expires in 2027 while he holds a graduate visa following his PhD completion.
"All my time has been in Scotland," he explained. "I have a really rich network of university friends who are spread far and wide. My whole professional life, my immediate community is here. It's where I've built my life."
Beyond his academic work, Mr Grant volunteers with the Leith St Andrew's Trust, helping preserve a local church for community use outside Edinburgh. He hopes the government will reconsider the plans, either maintaining the current ten-year route or crediting those who have already established lives in Britain.
Multiple Cases Highlight Systemic Concerns
Teymur Valiyev, a 26-year-old from Azerbaijan, arrived in the UK as a student in 2017 and now works in Barclays' commercial insights team. Holding graduate degrees in finance and data science from Lancaster University, he has built a life in London where he owns a house and lives with his long-term girlfriend.
"Most of my friends are here, through university, through work," Mr Valiyev said. "I play football twice a week, I've met people through cycling. If I had known that my time in the UK on a graduate visa wouldn't count to my settlement route, I would have tried to get the skilled worker visa right away."
He expressed frustration about following rules for over eight years while building his life, only to face uncertainty about his future status. Even if he qualifies for the proposed shorter five-year route, this would still mean extended waiting periods for permanent status.
Broader Impacts Across Multiple Sectors
Aurean Bumba Luemba, a 24-year-old from Angola, came to the UK at eighteen to study architecture and design at Nottingham Trent University. She has found breaking into the interior design sector challenging as few employers will sponsor graduate workers for skilled worker visas under increased salary requirements.
"I do love this country," Ms Luemba stated. "I have integrated into the culture, I see myself living here. I've only left to go back home once, I've been abiding with the rules, I contribute, I go to church. I am worried that my clock will have to reset, which will mean more money, and it's taking a mental toll on my emotions."
She now considers finding work in the care sector to secure a work visa, despite her architectural training. Campaign organiser Swarda Chavan notes the changes will affect doctors, PhD researchers, engineers, market professionals, and graduates who have lived lawfully in the UK for over seven years, creating "profound uncertainty about their future."
Expert Criticism and Political Backlash
Dr Dora Olivia Nicol, CEO of the Work Rights Centre, called it a "myth" that radical changes are necessary when net migration is already falling. She warned the proposals "risk creating an underclass of people trapped in temporary status for decades."
Nick Beales of refugee and migrant charity Ramfel compared the plans to "changing the rules of the game at half-time," adding: "Many people, including parents of British children and young adults who've grown up in the UK, will have assumed based on government commitments that they would have been eligible for indefinite leave in the next six, 12 or 24 months."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faces significant Labour rebellion over the plans, with dozens of backbench MPs criticising them as "the height of unfairness" and "un-British." Neil Duncan-Jordan, Labour MP for Poole, argued: "This policy is designed to out Reform-Reform and chase Nigel Farage's tail, when we should be starting from fairness and securing the skills our country depends on."
Government Position and Consultation Process
A Home Office spokesperson defended the proposals, stating: "The home secretary has set out her plans for the biggest legal migration reforms in 50 years. It is a privilege not a right to settle in the UK and it must be earned. We are replacing a broken immigration system with one that prioritises contribution, integration and respect for British values."
Ahead of the April implementation, the Home Office is running a consultation until 12 February, seeking views on whether transitional arrangements should exist for those already in the UK. This offers limited hope for individuals like Julian Grant, who has invested thirteen years building a life he now fears losing.
"I came to the UK by myself and I have built my life," Ms Luemba summarised the sentiment shared by many. "I don't want to restart completely from zero, which would be completely unfair because I do have a life in the UK."
