Prime Minister Keir Starmer has outlined plans to reduce immigration to the UK; highlighting the strain that high migration levels have placed on the country.
In a speech released on November 28th, 2025, Downing Street, he emphasized the need to focus on domestic issues, including improving skills development, workforce training, and addressing long-term unemployment.
He emphasized the need for a more controlled approach to immigration, especially in light of what he described as the current system’s failure to adequately address skills shortages within the UK.
Concerns over high immigration levels
In his speech, Starmer pointed to the findings of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which revealed that nearly one million people migrated to the UK in the year ending June 2023.
This figure is four times higher than the migration levels in 2019.
Starmer criticized the previous government’s policies, arguing that the liberalization of immigration laws, including the use of Brexit to open the country’s borders, led to this surge.
He stated, “This happened by design, not by accident,” accusing the government of using Brexit to transform Britain into a “one-nation experiment in open borders.”
A shift in policy: focus on domestic skills and workforce
Starmer called for a new approach to migration that focuses on developing local skills and providing opportunities for young people in the UK.
He highlighted concerns over the current reliance on immigration to fill gaps in the workforce, pointing out that sectors like engineering had seen a sharp decline in apprenticeships while the number of work visas has doubled.
“You cannot separate this failure from their refusal to do the hard yards on skills,” Starmer said, noting that the country has seen an increase in the number of people out of work due to long-term sickness and a lack of youth engagement in employment or education.
Upcoming white paper and immigration reforms
- As part of the new direction, Starmer announced that the government would soon publish a White Paper detailing plans to reduce immigration.
- The Migration Advisory Committee will review sectors over-reliant on immigration, and the points-based immigration system will be reformed.
- Starmer emphasized that future visa applications, particularly in skilled worker and shortage occupation routes, would come with new expectations regarding training and upskilling people within the UK.
- He also promised to crack down on abuse within the visa system, saying that employers who refuse to comply would be banned from hiring foreign workers.
Stronger border controls and international collaboration
- In addition to addressing domestic workforce needs, Starmer highlighted efforts to strengthen border security. He announced a new security agreement between the UK and Iraq aimed at tackling people smuggling.
- This agreement, described as a world-first, would support Iraqi law enforcement to stop smuggling gangs before they reach UK shores.
- He also pointed to the success of recent efforts in returning asylum seekers, with asylum returns up 53% compared to the previous year. “Our rules will be enforced,” Starmer stated, stressing that the government would no longer tolerate lax enforcement.
A long-term commitment to change
- Starmer closed his speech by assuring the public that the government was committed to a long-term plan to restore order and security.
- He promised that the UK would build a system where borders are secure, the economy offers opportunities for all, and the NHS remains a priority.
- “It won’t be quick or easy,” he acknowledged, “but we are going to turn things around… not with gimmicks, but with graft.” Starmer emphasized that his government would not rest until the necessary changes were made, and Britain could offer secure work and good opportunities for everyone.
