Better English standards and decade in UK to be demanded before citizenship

Migrants will be told they need to spend up to a decade in the UK before they can apply for citizenship and English language requirements will be increased as part of the Government’s immigration crackdown.

Sir Keir Starmer will promise to “tighten up” all elements of the system as ministers look to bring down net figures, but are facing a pushback against plans to stop foreign recruitment of care workers.

The Prime Minister is expected to say that “enforcement will be tougher than ever and migration numbers will fall” as a result of the policies in the Immigration White Paper, set to be unveiled on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Home Secretary has been warned that plans to stop overseas recruitment for care worker visas are “cruel”, and the head of a nursing union is expected to accuse the Government of “pandering and scapegoating” with the policy.