Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch unveils plans new migration plans. (Image: Getty)
Migrants who do not earn enough money would be barred from staying in Britain under new plans drawn up by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
Migrants will only be granted indefinite leave to remain if they have been “net contributors” to the UK economy over the past decade, meaning their tax payments are higher than the cost to the state from their benefits and children.
They will also be required to work and not claim benefits or use social housing during 10 years of living in Britain.
“The right to citizenship and permanent residency should only go to those who have demonstrated a real commitment to the UK.
“That’s why we should double the time before people can qualify for indefinite leave to remain from five to 10 years,” Ms Badenoch said.
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The Home Office would bar migrants indefinite leave to remain if they do not earn enough money. (Image: Getty)
Official data suggests that of the two million migrants who will become eligible for indefinite leave to remain over the next five years, more than half will not be earning enough to be classed as net contributors.
Analysis suggests that they would need to earn an average of at least £28,000 a year to qualify, so tax contributions would be higher than state payouts.
Data from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) shows that migrants earning £18,500, half the average UK wage, would cost the state about £500,000 if they arrived in the country in their late 20s and stayed until they were 80.
OBR graphs also highlight that the migrants, on average earnings of around £37,000 a year, would make a net contribution to the UK of £500,000 from their mid-20s to their 60s.
Illegal migrants would be automatically banned from claiming indefinite leave to remain in the UK. Similarly, anyone whose visa expires after securing indefinite leave to remain could be deported.
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Chris Philp says a British passport is a privilege (Image: Getty)
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said that the right to indefinite leave must be earned, adding that migrants wishing to join the community should contribute more financially than they take out of the system.
Mr Philp said: “A British passport is a privilege, one that has been debased by benefit tourism for too long. Our plan gets it right, making sure that those who pay their way get to stay.
“Labour wants hard-working taxpayers to subsidise recent arrivals who have never paid into the system. That is fundamentally unfair and the ’ new policy will end it. We only want a limited number of migrants who will actually make a real contribution.”