LONDON – The government of the United Kingdom (UK) announced changes to the European Union Settlement Scheme on Wednesday while complying with court orders.
In an official press release, the Home Office announced that it will change the duration of pre-settled status extensions from 2 to 5 years.
‘The Home Office will also remove the pre-settled status expiry date from the digital profiles shown to third parties in the online checking services for Right to Work, Right to Rent and View and Prove,’ it said.
As part of the amendments, employers, landlords, and letting agents will not be required to conduct a further right-to-work or rent check where the individual remains in their employment or as part of that tenancy agreement.
The government said that the EU Settlement Scheme had been a great success. As far as the statistics are concerned, as of 31 December 2023, 5.7 million people had secured their rights in the UK through the scheme, with 2 million holding pre-settled status and 3.7 million holding settled status.
The government said it had introduced changes to the EU Settlement Scheme in July 2023 to ensure that nobody loses their immigration status if they do not apply to switch from pre-settled to settled status.
‘The Home Office has continued to work closely with the IMA on the implementation of the judgment. Having listened to concerns raised by the IMA and others about the potential implications for those affected by the judgment, the changes announced today will ensure it remains easy for status holders to demonstrate their rights in the UK,’ stated the press release.
It bears mentioning that the government of Rishi Sunak has been introducing a series of immigration-related policy changes to practically discourage immigration. The authorities have also banned international students from bringing dependents to the country with few exceptions.
The administration has also increased the minimum salary threshold for Skilled Worker Visa in what appears to be a major blow for many aspiring immigrants.
