The British government has set out plans for stricter visa criteria for applicants who want to stay in the UK, and the new rules would break the link between immigrants coming to work in the UK and settling there permanently.
A statement issued yesterday by the British High Commission in Dhaka reads, "Migrants coming to the UK to work on temporary visas will no longer be able to apply for settlement."
The UK government's proposals, announced in London on June 9, are to implement reforms in their immigration system to reduce the levels to more sustainable levels.
The UK government is re-classifying the visa titles as either "temporary" or "permanent". "We intend to break the automatic link between immigrants coming to the UK to work and settling here permanently", said Immigration Minister Damian Green.
"Settlement has become almost automatic for those who choose to stay. This needs to change. The immigration system has got to be made to work properly. We want the brightest and best workers to come to the UK, make a strong contribution to our economy while they are here, and then return home," Green added.
Under the current system, many workers are allowed to apply to stay in the UK permanently. Last year 84,000 people who entered the UK for employment were granted settlement, significantly less than the 10,000 who qualified for employment related settlement in 1997.
The government has already implemented new settlement requirements for skilled workers entering under Tiers 1 and 2 of the points based system, which require applicants to demonstrate English-language proficiency, continue to meet the salary requirements and to pass a new criminality test.