The potential impact of immigration reforms on humanitarian visa routes

Background

Mr Naish’s application to the Backbench Business Committee stated that the debate would focus on the potential impact of government proposals to make it more difficult for migrants to qualify for permanent residence (also known as settlement or indefinite leave to remain). There was uncertainty at the time about whether proposals to increase the qualifying period from five to ten years would apply to people on humanitarian visa routes, including Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa holders.

Consultation on changing eligibility for permanent residence

On 20 November 2025, the Home Office published a statement and accompanying consultation which give more information about its plans.

The statement confirms that people with Hong Kong BN(O) visas will continue to be able to get permanent residence in the UK after five years, due to their “uniquely strong attachment to this country.” But they would need to meet some new requirements to qualify for settlement, including having B2 level English and annual earnings above £12,570 or an alternative amount of income.

The government intends that people on most other visa routes, including people who arrive through official refugee resettlement programmes, will be subject to a default ten year qualifying period for permanent residence.

Under the government’s “earned settlement” proposals, people would be able to reduce the length of their qualifying period by satisfying integration or contribution criteria like having an advanced level of English, being a higher earner, on having volunteered in the community. Equally, some actions could increase the length of the qualifying period, for example if they receive public funds when they are on a temporary visa.

The consultation seeks views on whether resettled refugees should have a ten-year route to settlement and whether people on other types of humanitarian visa route (such as the Afghan schemes) should be eligible for a shorter route.

The government is proposing applying the changes to “everyone in the country today who has not already received indefinite leave to remain”. It is consulting on whether there should be any transitional measures to ease the impact on people already here.

The consultation is open until 12 February 2026.

Other recent government proposals affecting humanitarian routes

On 17 November 2025, the Home Secretary published a policy paper detailing plans for reforms to the UK’s asylum system. Part three sets out the government’s future intentions for humanitarian routes to the UK.

The government says it will introduce a capped refugee sponsorship model which will be “based on local capacity to support refugees” and give “communities and institutions in the UK […] a far greater say over who the UK supports.”

The government also intends to introduce new capped routes so refugee and displaced students can come to study in the UK, and skilled refugees and displaced people can come to work here. The Home Secretary has said the number of visas available under these new routes will be in “low hundreds” initially but could increase when there are fewer pressures on the asylum system.

The government has recently suspended the refugee family reunion visa, which was a safe and legal route to the UK for close relatives of people granted asylum. The visa is expected to re-open in spring 2026 with more demanding eligibility rules.

Other resources

Commons Library research briefing CBP-10267 covers Changes to UK visa and settlement rules after the 2025 immigration white paper.

Recent debates and parliamentary questions about Hongkongers on BN(O) visas in the UK are available on the Parliamentary database.

Recent debates and parliamentary questions about the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain are available on the Parliamentary database.

Recent debates and parliamentary questions about humanitarian visas are available on the Parliamentary database.