The government has announced that stricter immigration and citizenship rules will come into force after Brexit. Sajid Javid stated that the Brexit referendum had presented “a unique opportunity to reshape our immigration system for the future”.
Javid used his speech at the Conservative party conference to announce that those seeking British citizenship would face tougher English language requirements and will have to pass a new “British values test”.
The Home Secretary has claimed the current Life in the UK test is not satisfactory and criticised the test as being too much like “a pub quiz”. The Life in the UK test asks applicants questions on UK history, traditions and everyday life. Javid has instead called for a test which examines a person’s understanding of “the liberal, democratic values that bind British society together”.
Javid has also claimed current arrangements mean there is no difference in the English language requirements for settlement and for citizenship. He claims that as a result, this fails to acknowledge the greater significance of British citizenship, or give those who have settled here the incentive to carry on developing their English language skills.
Gherson has over 30 years of experience in assisting with various immigration matters. Should you wish to speak to a member of our team, please do not hesitate to contact us.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please don’t hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
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