Alex Norris tells MPs Government will make final decisions on extending qualifying period for ILR after hearing people's views
The House of Commons on Monday held a Westminster Hall debate on two e-petitions opposing a proposed extension to the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).
Image credit: WikipediaThe petitions – Keep the 5-Year ILR pathway for existing Skilled Worker visa holders and Keep 5-year ILR terms to Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visas – were considered in Parliament after both passed the 100,000-signature threshold required for debate.
In May 2025, the Government published its Immigration White Paper and proposed extending the standard qualifying period for ILR from five years to ten. The White Paper described settlement as a "privilege and not a right" and said the change would reinforce the principle that people should earn their right to privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to the country.
Monday's debate was opened by Labour's Ben Goldsborough, with Alex Norris, the newly appointed Minister for Border Security and Asylum, responding on behalf of the Government.
Goldsborough said the Government's proposal to apply retrospective changes to the ILR qualifying period had created huge anxiety among skilled worker visa holders. On the situation of Hongkongers in the UK, he added that the debate was not only about visa terms but also about trust, and whether Britain would honour its commitments.
Goldsborough told the debate: "Both petitions speak to a single principle: fairness. People who came here on a clear set of rules deserve to know what those rules are and that they will not change halfway through. Whether those people are skilled workers staffing our hospitals or Hongkongers seeking refuge from oppression, they are already contributing enormously to our country."
Responding for the Government, Alex Norris said the intention was to listen to people's views on the issue and confirmed that a consultation would be held. He continued: "I can say to colleagues that the consultation is coming later this year, and that we will make the final decisions and provide details of how the scheme will work after that consultation. I apologise in advance that, for many of the issues that have been raised, I have to say that they will be subject to consultation, but that is the right way to ensure that we get to the right position."
The Minister said the Government "strongly recognise and value the contribution that legal migration makes," but emphasised that immigration must be "properly controlled and managed" to maintain public confidence and support integration. He confirmed the Government's plan to set a ten-year baseline for settlement while allowing faster routes for those who "make meaningful contributions".
Norris told MPs: "It is a long-standing point of consensus across this place that settlement is a privilege and not a right. We know that settlement in the UK brings significant benefits, so the proposals that we have set out in the immigration White Paper reflect our view that people who benefit from settling in the UK should at first make a proportionate contribution. We have heard much about the valuable contributions that hon. Members' constituents are making. That is why, although we are setting a baseline qualifying period for settlement at 10 years, we will allow those who make meaningful contributions to reduce that period."
Responding to the first petition, Norris acknowledged the valuable role that Skilled Worker visa holders play in the UK economy and public services. He said they filled "essential skills and labour market gaps," but argued that some sectors had become too reliant on overseas recruitment instead of investing in domestic training. According to the Minister, this trend had coincided with reduced investment in skills, higher unemployment, and increased economic inactivity in the UK. The reforms set out in the Government's White Paper were designed, he said, to "address the balance" by encouraging employers to train British workers while ensuring that key sectors still had access to skilled migrants where necessary.
Norris outlined measures already introduced as part of this approach. In July, the Government raised the skills threshold for skilled workers to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6. He said the Migration Advisory Committee had also been asked to advise on future changes to salary requirements and on a temporary shortage occupation list. In addition, a new labour market evidence group had been established to monitor workforce shortages and would meet quarterly to inform policy. Drawing on his previous role as Local Growth Minister, Norris added that equal focus must be given to providing "brilliant opportunities and the training that [children and young people] need first."
Turning to the second petition on the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa, Norris described the scheme as both historically and morally significant. He highlighted the UK's "long-standing and unique connection" with Hong Kong and commended the decision to launch the BNO route in 2021 as a response to the imposition of the national security law. Since its introduction, he said, nearly 225,000 visas had been granted and more than 160,000 Hongkongers had arrived in the UK, where they had quickly become part of the economic, educational and civic fabric of many local communities.
The Minister stressed that the contribution of Hongkongers was "hugely positive and lasting," and that the Government remained "steadfast in supporting" the community. He reaffirmed the UK's commitment to the BNO route and said ministers recognised how important the ability to secure settled status was to those affected. While confirming that the existing settlement rules remained in force, Norris said the Government was "listening to their views about the route to settlement" and would continue to do so as policy develops.
Norris later restated the Government's intention to listen to those affected, telling MPs: "That is the point of having a consultation: because we appreciate that people's circumstances can be very different. That is why we want people to come forward to say how the proposals might affect them." He added: "I hope that those who are watching have seen that we want to get this right. We will be moving forward with a consultation, and I look forward to engaging along the way in that process."