Written question asked by Stella Creasy (Labour) on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 March 2026 (named day). It was answered by Mike Tapp (Labour) on Monday, 23 March 2026 on behalf of the Home Office.

Immigration: Migrant Workers

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to her statement of 5 March 2026 that extending the waiting period for Indefinite Leave to Remain for 350,000 low skilled workers from five to between fifteen and twenty years is necessary to avoid a £10 billion drain on public finances, how much of this lifetime fiscal £10 billion cost her Department estimates is saved by its policy of delaying the qualification for settlement by 10 years, and how much of the fiscal cost remains incurred in the scenario that this policy is not pursued.

Answer

This analysis is based on work undertaken by the Migration Advisory Committee which includes further detail on the characteristics and time profile of fiscal impacts and is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6938108633c7ace9c4a41e42/The_Fiscal_Impact_of_Immigration_Final__1_.pdf

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 121713
Session: 2024-26
Related items: Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules
Thursday, 5 March 2026
House of Commons papers
House of Commons
House of Lords
Grouped for answer: Yes
Subjects: Costs Immigration Migrant workers
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk