The British government has unveiled a sweeping reform of the immigration system, which calls for increasing the standard period of residence required to obtain permanent residency from five to ten years. The changes could affect hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals working and living in the country.
As reported by the UK Home Office on November 2, 2026, the new model has been named “Earned Settlement.” It stipulates that the right to indefinite residence will depend not only on the number of years spent in the country, but also on income level, professional activity, tax payments, and compliance with the law.
According to the proposed rules, the standard period for obtaining permanent residency for most foreign workers will increase to ten years.
However, the government has provided for several exceptions.
Highly paid professionals will be eligible for permanent residency after just three years. For foreigners with an annual income of more than 50,271 pounds, the five-year requirement will remain in place. The same period applies to certain healthcare and education workers, including doctors, nurses, and teachers.
Special conditions have been established for certain foreign workers in the social care sector. Provided they meet the established visa requirements and have an annual income of at least 25,000 pounds, they will also be able to obtain permanent residency after five years.
At the same time, the government is tightening the requirements for applicants seeking permanent residence. Applicants will be required to demonstrate a high level of English proficiency, have no criminal convictions or outstanding debts to the government that would prevent them from obtaining permanent residence, and have made the necessary National Insurance contributions.
For those who violate immigration laws, the waiting period may be extended to at least 20 years. For certain categories of foreign nationals who crossed the border illegally, it may reach 30 years.
However, foreign nationals who have already been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) will not lose it once the reform takes effect. Current procedures will remain in place for family members of British citizens and certain other categories.
According to estimates by the British Home Office, the new requirements will lead to an increase in the waiting period for permanent residency for more than 500,000 people.
How Many Ukrainians Are in the UK
According to data from the UK Home Office published on August 27, 2026, approximately 240,000 people have arrived in the country under special visa programs for Ukrainians since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.
However, as of June 30, 2026, approximately 105,600 people—or 44% of those who arrived—had left the UK. Thus, an estimated 134,000 participants in Ukrainian humanitarian programs remained in the country.
This estimate does not include Ukrainians who obtained other categories of British visas—such as work, student, or family visas—nor those who were residing in the UK before the start of the full-scale war.
Separate immigration mechanisms are in place for Ukrainian refugees. In particular, the Ukraine Permission Extension program allows them to extend their legal stay in the country. The British government has already provided for an additional 24-month extension of permits following the initial 18-month period.
However, the special humanitarian visa programs for Ukrainians do not, in and of themselves, provide for an automatic transition to permanent residence. To obtain permanent residence, one must meet the requirements of one of the immigration categories provided for by law.
Thus, the tightening of the general rules for obtaining permanent residency may be particularly significant for Ukrainians who intend to transition from temporary humanitarian status to work-based or other immigration pathways that would subsequently allow them to obtain permanent residency.
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmoud stated that the new system should take into account the actual contribution of foreign nationals to the country’s economy and public life.
The reform is expected to be implemented in phases. As of November 5, 2026, the final rules and their implementation timeline still require clarification.
Sources: UK Home Office, November 2, 2026; official immigration statistics, August 27, 2026; government briefing on support for Ukraine.
displaced person, IMMIGRATION, MIGRATION, UKRAINE, UNITED KINGDOM
Vietnam plans to introduce a special visa for highly qualified foreign specialists (the Vietnam Talent Visa), which will provide for a simplified process for obtaining residence permits, exemption from the requirement to obtain a work permit, and preferential conditions for family members. At the same time, it is proposed to exempt specialists involved in strategic projects from paying personal income tax for five years.
The Ministry of Public Security released the corresponding draft resolution of the National Assembly of Vietnam on October 16, 2026, for public comment.
The legislative initiative consists of 16 articles and aims to attract foreign experts, scientists, researchers, technology entrepreneurs, and other highly qualified specialists to implement strategic state programs, investment projects, and the development of an innovative economy.
The document applies not only to foreigners but also to Vietnamese citizens and members of the Vietnamese diaspora living abroad.
What benefits does the talent visa offer?
According to the draft, foreign specialists who meet the established criteria will be able to obtain a special visa and a corresponding temporary residence card.
Provisions are made for extending the duration of stay and changing the purpose of residence in accordance with immigration law.
Visa holders will be permitted to work simultaneously at multiple companies, research institutions, or government organizations without having to obtain a separate work permit for each employer.
When changing jobs, foreign specialists will not need to reapply for their current visa.
These simplifications will also apply to family members. Spouses and children under the age of 18 will be able to obtain UĐ2 visas and the corresponding temporary residence permits.
In addition, the state must ensure favorable conditions for the residence and education of the children of foreign specialists.
Five-Year Tax Holiday
One of the key provisions of the legislative initiative is a five-year exemption from personal income tax.
The exemption will apply to the salaries and bonuses of qualified specialists and the employees they recruit who perform strategic tasks.
It is proposed that the five-year period be calculated from the date the relevant income is earned.
At the same time, tax incentives will be available not only to specialists working in government agencies but also to employees of private companies involved in the implementation of strategic projects.
Separate incentives are provided for employers. Companies that hire qualified specialists to carry out strategic tasks will be able to additionally include in their tax-deductible expenses an amount equivalent to 50% of the salaries and bonuses actually paid to such employees.
Thus, the total amount of labor costs that can be taken into account when determining taxable income will potentially amount to 150% of actual payments.
Vietnam plans to allocate approximately 0.1% of GDP annually to talent development
The government also proposes establishing a special funding mechanism for programs aimed at attracting and developing highly qualified personnel.
It is planned to allocate approximately 0.1% of GDP annually for these purposes as part of the overall funding for science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.
Priority will be given to projects of strategic importance to the country’s economy, particularly in the fields of high technology, scientific research, digitalization, and the modernization of production.
At the same time, the proposed selection system calls for an assessment of actual professional achievements and specialists’ ability to perform specific tasks.
Possession of a scientific degree, an academic title, or extensive professional experience will not be a mandatory requirement, except in cases where such requirements are explicitly stipulated by law for a specific type of activity.
According to the drafters, this will make it possible to attract not only renowned scientists but also young technology entrepreneurs, engineers, and developers of innovative products.
What the New Rules Will Mean for Foreign Investors
The proposed changes could increase Vietnam’s appeal to international technology companies, research and development centers, and enterprises implementing high-value-added investment projects.
Simplifying the hiring process for foreign experts and allowing them to work with multiple organizations simultaneously could reduce administrative costs for businesses and facilitate technology transfer.
At the same time, the proposed program is not a universal visa for digital nomads or an automatic pathway to obtaining a residence permit through real estate purchases.
Its main goal is to attract specialists to specific strategic programs and projects identified in accordance with national priorities.
The resolution has not yet been adopted. Once the public consultation period concludes, the document is to be reviewed by the National Assembly of Vietnam. The final selection criteria, application procedures, and validity periods for special visas will depend on the approved legislation.
Vietnam is one of the Southeast Asian economies actively attracting foreign investment in manufacturing, electronics, digital technologies, and infrastructure. In recent years, the country has been developing special support mechanisms for investors and highly qualified professionals with the aim of modernizing the economy and enhancing its international competitiveness.
Barbados is preparing to launch a new program to attract foreign investors, which will grant permanent residency for investments of 5 million Barbadian dollars (approximately $2.5 million USD) in government-approved projects. In the future, investors will be able to apply for citizenship through a simplified procedure that requires actual residence in the country for at least 360 days over a specified period.
The new system is intended to serve as an alternative to traditional Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programs, which are under pressure from the European Union due to security risks associated with the visa-free regime.
The bill provides for two main mechanisms for obtaining permanent resident status.
The first will allow a foreign national to apply for permanent residency after investing at least 5 million Barbadian dollars in a national development project officially approved by the government.
At a fixed exchange rate of 2 Barbadian dollars to 1 U.S. dollar, the minimum amount is approximately $2.5 million.
During a parliamentary debate on October 27, Barbados’ Minister of Home Affairs, Gregory Nicolls, cited water supply and wastewater treatment, healthcare, education, housing, renewable energy, infrastructure, technology, agriculture, and tourism as priority areas.
At the same time, investments must be directed toward projects that are of public interest and meet the criteria set by the government.
The second mechanism involves the use of a points-based system.
This will allow for the consideration of smaller investments—specifically, those starting at 1 million Barbadian dollars, or approximately $500,000—in designated development projects.
Points will be awarded based on the investment amount, the applicant’s age, family ties to Barbados, and other criteria.
Each point will correspond to six months of the required residency period, thereby shortening the standard five-year period needed to obtain permanent residency.
At the same time, investors will be required to meet physical presence requirements. To qualify for the points-based system, applicants must have resided in the country for at least 180 days over the preceding three years.
A separate citizenship bill proposes reducing the requirements for the duration of physical presence in the country.
Foreign nationals who are not citizens of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and have obtained permanent residency will be able to apply for citizenship after a cumulative stay in Barbados of 360 days within a statutory period of at least 1,460 days.
More lenient conditions apply to citizens of CARICOM member states: 270 days of residence within a period of at least 1,095 days.
The provisions also allow for the inclusion of the applicant’s spouse and dependents.
However, meeting the investment and residency requirements does not guarantee automatic granting of citizenship.
The Ministry of the Interior may deny an application on grounds of national security, public policy, the existence of criminal offenses specified by law, or insufficient means of support.
Minister of the Interior Gregory Nicolls emphasized that the government is not introducing a traditional Citizenship by Investment program.
The key difference is that investments will grant the right to apply for permanent residency, while obtaining citizenship will require a separate procedure and fulfillment of residency requirements.
Barbados has never had a classic program for the direct sale of citizenship, similar to the schemes in place in several other Caribbean countries.
The new rules could make the country more attractive to wealthy foreigners considering a move to the Caribbean region and investing in real estate, infrastructure, and tourism projects.
One notable change will be the ability to count time spent in the country under the Welcome Stamp program—designed for foreign remote workers—toward the legal residency period required to apply for permanent residency.
Barbados’s reform comes amid stricter European Union requirements for countries that grant citizenship in exchange for investment.
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia have come under pressure from Brussels.
The European Commission is demanding that these countries phase out their investment citizenship programs by June 1, 2028, warning that the visa-free regime with the EU could be suspended.
The main concern of European authorities is that third-country nationals can obtain Caribbean passports without actually residing in those countries and enjoy visa-free access to the Schengen Area.
According to the European Commission, this creates risks of inadequate vetting of applicants, money laundering, and circumvention of immigration restrictions.
According to a Reuters report dated October 29, 2026, the government of Antigua and Barbuda is considering a phased closure of its program. At the same time, the country is seeking additional time and financial support from the EU to compensate for budget losses.
For some Caribbean nations, revenue from investment citizenship programs accounts for a significant portion of government revenue and funding for construction projects.
Against this backdrop, Barbados is proposing a model in which foreign capital is attracted through investments in economic development, while citizenship remains the result of a separate naturalization process.
In addition to investment needs, the Barbadian government seeks to address demographic challenges related to an aging population and a declining birth rate.
According to data previously cited by the country’s Prime Minister Mia Mottley, 3,642 children were born in Barbados in 2000, while the number of deaths stood at 2,444.
By 2024, the situation had changed: the number of births had fallen to 1,995, while deaths had risen to 3,088.
The government views attracting foreign investors and specialists as one of the tools for supporting economic development, the labor market, and population growth.
For investors, a Barbadian passport remains an additional factor of attractiveness, as it provides visa-free access or the ability to obtain a visa upon arrival to approximately 162 countries and territories, including the Schengen Area.
At the same time, investment residency alone will not provide such opportunities. They will only become available after obtaining citizenship.
As of November 3, 2026, both bills are under consideration by the Barbados Senate.
Once the parliamentary process is complete, the bills will require final approval and official enactment.
In addition, the government will need to define the list of eligible investment projects, administrative fees, the application review process, investment retention periods, and other practical requirements.
Minister of Home Affairs Gregory Nichols previously expressed hope that the new legislation would be finalized by November 30, 2026, when Barbados will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its independence.
Barbados is an island nation in the Caribbean with a population of approximately 280,000. The main sectors of the economy are tourism, international financial services, trade, and construction. The country gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 and became a parliamentary republic in 2021.
CITIZENSHIP, INVESTMENT, MIGRATION, REAL ESTATE, RESIDENCY, Барбадос
According to “Serbian Economist”, Montenegro’s Ministry of the Interior stated that approximately 80% of foreigners who attempted to obtain or regularize their stay in the country over the past two months had abused immigration procedures.
This was announced on October 30 by Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson Dragan Dašić on state television. According to him, in the last month alone, a large number of new companies were registered in Montenegro, which were likely created primarily to provide foreigners with grounds for residence.
Now, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the police and the Tax Administration, will investigate all recently registered companies, as well as the circumstances surrounding the issuance of residence permits through them.
Why is this happening right now?
Starting November 1, 2026, Montenegro will require visas for citizens of five countries: Russia, Turkey, Belarus, China, and Saudi Arabia.
Therefore, it can be assumed that a significant portion of the new applications for residence permits come from citizens of Russia and Turkey, who make up two of the country’s three largest foreign communities.
Obtaining a valid residence permit allows one to live in Montenegro and return there without applying for a separate visa. However, registering a company does not in itself guarantee the issuance of a residence permit.
Dašić emphasized that foreigners with valid temporary or permanent residence permits will not face restrictions on entry or exit.
How many foreigners live in Montenegro?
According to September data from the Ministry of the Interior, published by the Center for Civic Education, 69,945 foreign citizens held residence permits.
Main groups by citizenship:
Russia — 17,907 people
Serbia — 15,287
Turkey — 10,600
Bosnia and Herzegovina — 3,801
Kosovo — 3,139
Albania — 3,064
Azerbaijan — 2,552
Ukraine — 1,614
North Macedonia — 1,174
Germany — 1,093
Thus, citizens of Russia and Turkey together account for about 41% of foreigners in these statistics, and when Serbs are included, the three largest groups account for nearly 63%.
Citizens of the five countries listed above are required to apply for visas in advance. The consular fee is 35 euros, and the standard processing time is 10 days.
Exceptions are provided, particularly for holders of certain valid foreign visas and residence permits.
For Montenegro, this is a significant change in migration policy that may affect the real estate market, business registration, and tourist flows.
MIGRATION, Ministry of Internal Affairs, MONTENEGRO, PERMITS, VISAS
Passenger traffic across Ukraine’s western border this week—during the fall school break, from October 24 to 29—increased by 9.2%, reaching 568,000.
According to daily statistics from the State Border Guard Service, as tracked by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, the number of outbound border crossings rose by 13.2% to 300,000, while the number of inbound crossings increased by 5.1% to 268,000.
The number of vehicles passing through border checkpoints also increased to 131,000 from 124,000, while the number of vehicles carrying humanitarian cargo fell to 382 from 490.
The highest outbound traffic was recorded on Saturday (53,000 per day), and the highest inbound traffic on Sunday (43,000), while the lowest outbound traffic was on Tuesday and Thursday (38,000 each), and the lowest inbound traffic on Wednesday (35,000).
According to the State Border Guard Service, as of 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, the lines of vehicles at the border for outbound travel were minimal. The longest line of passenger cars waiting to cross the border with Poland was at the “Ustyluh” checkpoint—20 vehicles. At the “Hrushiv,” “Krakivets,” “Shehyni,” and “Nyzhankovychi” checkpoints, there were 10 cars in line at each.
At the border with Slovakia, the line at the “Malyi Berezny” checkpoint consisted of 3 cars, and at the “Uzhhorod” checkpoint—20.
At the border with Hungary, 18 cars were waiting at the “Tisa” checkpoint, and 10 at the “Luzhanka” checkpoint.
At the border with Moldova and Romania, according to the State Border Guard Service, there were no lines as of Saturday morning.
Last year, passenger traffic across the border during this week increased by 10.3% and was slightly higher—580,000—with outbound traffic also slightly exceeding inbound traffic.
The following week, passenger traffic fell by 10.5%, and over the course of the week, it dropped by another 8.7%.
As previously reported, starting May 10, 2022, the outflow of refugees from Ukraine—which began with the start of the war—gave way to an inflow that lasted until September 23, 2022, totaling 409,000 people. However, since the end of September—possibly influenced by news of mobilization in Russia and “pseudo-referendums” in the occupied territories, followed by massive shelling of energy infrastructure—the number of people leaving has exceeded the number of those entering. In total, from late September 2022 through the first anniversary of the full-scale war, this figure reached 223,000 people.
In the second year of the full-scale war, the number of border crossings out of Ukraine, according to the State Border Guard Service, exceeded the number of crossings into the country by 25,000; in the third year, by 187,000; in the fourth year, by 221,000; and since the beginning of the fifth year, by 112,000.
In its July inflation report, the National Bank maintained its estimate of 0.3 million people migrating from Ukraine last year due to the deteriorating security situation at the end of the year and the easing of exit rules for young people, but noted that this figure would be less than 0.5 million in 2024. The NBU continues to forecast a net outflow of 0.2 million in 2026, while net returns, according to its forecast, will begin in 2027 and amount to about 0.1 million people, increasing to 0.5 million people in 2028.
According to UNHCR data, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe as of June 30, 2026, stood at 5.159 million, and globally at 5.687 million, compared to 5.213 million and 5.687 million, respectively, as of April 30.
In Ukraine itself, according to the latest UN data for July 2026, there were 3.80 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), compared to 3.70 million in January of this year and 3.34 million in July 2025.
BORDER, MIGRATION, PASSENGER TRAFFIC, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, UKRAINE
Ukraine can expect only about a third of the citizens who left the country due to the war to return, and risks facing a second wave of migration after the ban on men leaving the country is lifted.
This forecast was announced by Ella Libanova, director of the Institute of Demography and Quality of Life Issues at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, during her speech at the 12th Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF) “People. Business. Economy. What’s Next?” in Kyiv on Monday.
According to her, in 2022, demographers estimated the potential return rate at 50%; however, as the war drags on, this figure has been steadily declining due to Ukrainians adapting to life abroad and the destruction within the country.
“If we look at the percentage of our women aged 20 to 64, 70% of them are employed. This is an absolutely incredible figure for the first wave of migrants. Therefore, if a woman is already working there, her child is attending school or university, and they have mastered the language, there are challenges with returning,” Libanova emphasized.
She also expressed concern about the risk of men migrating after the ban on leaving Ukraine is lifted, noting that the civilian sector may be unable to offer demobilized frontline soldiers a level of income comparable to military pay, which would prompt them to join their families who have already settled abroad.
Libanova clarified that as of July 1, 2026, there were 28.5 million people in territories controlled by Ukraine. According to Eurostat data and demographers’ estimates, as of June 30, 4.4 million Ukrainians were under temporary protection in European Union countries, with at least another 1.6 million outside the EU (primarily in Canada and the United Kingdom). At the same time, the exodus of predominantly young people has exacerbated the aging of the population within the country, as one-third of migrants are children and adolescents under 18, and only 6% are people aged 65 and older.
