Major changes to asylum system set to come into force

"Mahmood said the government is 'changing an age-old assumption of what it means to be a refugee - moving from a permanent to a temporary status'. She said this is because 'it will be less attractive for illegal migrants to come to our country' and she wanted to 'change the calculus in the minds of the people about to get on a boat'."

"Under the new rules, asylum seekers' cases will be reviewed every 30 months, after which they could be sent to their country of origin, provided it is deemed safe to do so. There will be an exception for unaccompanied children. Some of Mahmood's other proposed reforms would need to be passed into law following full parliamentary scrutiny."

"This includes doubling the time it takes most migrants to gain permanent residency rights in the UK from five to 10 years. In the case of refugees it could take 20 years. Mahmood last week visited Denmark where the Social Democrats, Labour's sister party, saw off an electoral challenge from a populist right-wing party by toughening its own stance on immigration."

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announces a major overhaul of the UK asylum system, shifting from permanent refugee protection to temporary status reviewed every 30 months. Refugees can be returned to their country of origin if deemed safe, with exceptions for unaccompanied children. Additional reforms include extending permanent residency timelines from five to ten years for most migrants, and up to twenty years for refugees. These changes require no parliamentary vote as they modify existing rules. Other proposed reforms requiring legislation are expected later in the year. Mahmood visited Denmark, where the Social Democrats strengthened immigration policies to counter populist opposition, moving from seven-year protection periods to biennial reviews. The government aims to deter illegal migration by making the UK system less attractive to prospective migrants.

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