UK Refugees Must Repay Maintenance Costs for Residency Under New Plans

Refugees granted status in the United Kingdom will be required to repay approximately £10,000 (12.2 million Chilean pesos) in maintenance costs before they can apply for permanent residency, according to plans announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. This amount, subject to modification by the minister, will be deducted monthly from immigrants' salaries once their earnings surpass an unspecified threshold.

Individuals who leave the country without settling the debt will need to pay it in full if they wish to return in the future. This policy is set to be incorporated into the Immigration and Asylum Bill, which will be debated in Parliament. The bill also introduces a sponsorship system, enabling companies and civic organizations to legally bring asylum seekers to the UK.

The Home Office stated that housing an asylum seeker currently costs about £23.25 per night in accommodations and £144 in hotels, with weekly subsistence payments ranging from £9.95 to £49.18. Last year, the system cost £4 billion (4.886 billion Chilean pesos), which Mahmood deemed "too high."

"Receiving asylum is a right, but it is also a responsibility. Once people are able to contribute and return the generosity of the British people, we expect them to do so," Mahmood declared. The proposed sponsorship system draws inspiration from Canada's resettlement model, which has facilitated the arrival of nearly 400,000 refugees since 1979 through various entities. The UK also has a precedent with its program for Ukrainian refugees, which has allowed over 270,000 to arrive since 2022.

The minister emphasized that opening more legal asylum routes aims to reduce irregular immigration, such as crossings via the English Channel. The system will include strict security checks, including biometric, criminal, and health screenings, with case management coordinated by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).