British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said there will be no golden ticket to settling in the United Kingdom under plans to require refugees to earn their right to stay long term.
Stermer said that the government plans to end automatic family union rights for those granted asylum in the UK and change the requirements for long-term settlement.
New applications to the existing refugee family reunion route have been suspended since September.
The prime minister will hold talks on the plans and how European countries can work together to tackle illegal migration at the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday.
Starmer said: “I believe that if you want to come to the UK, you should contribute to our society.”
“That is the tolerant and fair approach to migration that our communities are built on, but the current system is not fit for purpose.”
“That is why we’re making fundamental changes to what those granted asylum are afforded in the UK.”
“Settlement must be earned by contributing to our country, not by paying a people smuggler to cross the Channel in a boat.”
He said the UK would continue to welcome genuine refugees fleeing persecution, but must also address the pull factors driving illegal small boat crossings.
“There will be no golden ticket to settling in the UK, people will have to earn it,” he added.
He will also announce a new partnership to tackle the causes of migration upstream in Western Balkan countries in a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
The plan, backed by up to 3 million pounds (4 million dollars), will include encouraging people to stay in the region and take up jobs there.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will set out reforms in full later in the autumn that will see refugees face a longer route to resettlement.
The reform will require them to contribute to the UK and they will not have the automatic right to bring their families to join them.
Refugees will still be entitled to core protection and not returned home under the changes, the government says, but a new, longer route to settlement requiring them to contribute, replacing the current five years will apply.
The Home Secretary said earlier this week at the Labour party conference that tougher conditions would be introduced to secure indefinite leave to remain.
Migrants will need to be in work, not on benefits, have a high standard of English and no criminal record.
They will also need to reach a certain level of national insurance contributions and contribute, for example by working in their local community.
