UK High Commission Proposes to Make Temporary Visa Holders Ineligible for Settlement Visas

By Linda Ripoll

In the past, temporary UK visa holders working and living in the UK had the option of applying for a UK settlement visa when their temporary visa was up. On June 9th, 2011, the UK High Commission announced a proposal to change this option so that temporary work visa holders will no longer be eligible to apply for a settlement visa at the end of their visa term. The reason for this change is due to high numbers of temporary visa holders opting to make the UK their permanent residence which has in turn strained the resources both financially and socially for UK citizens.
 

Even though this is merely a proposal, there is good reason to believe that this change in the law will be implemented as there has been a ration of changes within the UK immigration sector. According to a recent article on MigrationExpert.com, there has been an underlying need for a drastic change in who can apply for a settlement visa:

“In a statement on the proposals, Immigration Minister Damian Green said the reasons for breaking the link between temporary and permanent migration was settlement had become almost automatic for those who choose to stay. "This needs to change. The immigration system has got to be made to work properly".
 

Temporary visa holders aren’t the only ones affected by the recent UK Border Agency changes and proposals. Student visa reform is a hot topic currently being discussed as is the overseas domestic worker visa and the Tier 5 visa application process.