People granted asylum in the UK will only be allowed to stay in the country temporarily, in a major change of policy to be announced by the home secretary on Monday.<\/p>\n
Shabana Mahmood is expected to declare that the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, as she seeks to reduce asylum claims and small boat crossings.<\/p>\n
Under the plans, those granted asylum will be returned to their home country when it is deemed safe and their status will be regularly reviewed.<\/p>\n
Currently, refugee status in the UK lasts for five years, after which they can apply for indefinite leave to remain and have a route to citizenship.<\/p>\n
There are currently some temporary schemes for those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. This was initially for three years but extensions have been granted.<\/p>\n
Government insiders are describing a move to temporary status for all successful asylum seekers as a “significant shift”.<\/p>\n
The policy has been copied from Denmark, where a government led by the centre-left Social Democrats has presided over one of the toughest asylum and immigration systems in Europe.<\/p>\n
In Denmark, refugees are given temporary residence permits, typically of two years, and in effect have to re-apply for asylum when they expire.<\/p>\n
A previous presumption in the Danish system to extend permits was scrapped. <\/p>\n
Even for those who are allowed to extend multiple times, the route to citizenship has grown longer and harder.<\/p>\n
The Danish approach is admired by UK government ministers, including Mahmood, who point out that as the Social Democrat party’s immigration policies hardened their poll ratings rose – and those of a populist right-wing movement, the People’s Party, fell.<\/p>\n
The home secretary believes that unless Labour takes similar decisions then “darker forces” could thrive in the UK.<\/p>\n
Last week, the BBC revealed that Mahmood had sent senior Home Office officials to Denmark to see what lessons could be learned from their system. <\/p>\n
And it was not just temporary status for refugees that caught the eyes of her officials.<\/p>\n
They also looked at Denmark’s greater restrictions on “family reunion” – when refugees want to bring their spouses, partners or children to the country.<\/p>\n
Mahmood believes Denmark’s policies serve as a disincentive for people to seek asylum in the first place and is impressed that successful claims are at a 40-year low.<\/p>\n
And she believes that what she sees as the current generosity of the UK system is acting as a magnet, and driving small boat crossings.<\/p>\n