Al Jazeera reports that the UK will double to 10 years the wait for most foreign workers to qualify for permanent residency, with eligibility tied to income, disqualifications including criminal records and English requirements, and the rules applied retroactively from 2027. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said care workers and refugees on safe routes can settle after five years, while small-boat arrivals could wait up to 30 years, and that settlement 'should be earned', not automatic.