Is Keir Starmer Doing A 'Donald Trump'? New Immigration Crackdown Forces Firms to Train Local Talent

On Sunday, 11 May 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer pulled a Donald Trump-like move after announcing a major UK immigration crackdown. The British government explained that the new visa policies would fix the broken immigration system.

Refugees who are excited to create a future in the country are now devastated. Some of them fear that the new requirements would make citizenship impossible—even with their talents and contributions to the British economy.

In comparison, the US Trump administration is mounting an aggressive campaign to pressure undocumented immigrants, along with hundreds of thousands of legal residents whose status it is seeking to revoke. These actions risk making everyday life increasingly difficult for millions, as President Donald Trump pursues the hard-line immigration crackdown he pledged during his campaign.

Talented Refugees Lose Hope

Ayman Alhussein, a 31-year-old refugee cinematographer, is among the talented immigrants who dream of creating a better life in the U.K. Before arriving in the country, he was imprisoned twice in Syria for protesting against the Assad regime.

He decided to leave his former country in 2017. After waiting two years in the U.K., he was finally granted refugee status in 2019. Things were going pretty well for Ayman.

But, he suddenly lost his hope after the British government confirmed a series of immigration amendments. The Syrian immigrant said that he and other asylum seekers who never committed any crime are now being treated like criminals.

'The day before the announcement I was way more motivated than the day after. Before I could see a future,' said Alhussein via The Guardian.

'Now I can no longer see one. The aim of this policy is to deter refugees from coming here but many are still arriving. I arrived here nine years ago. How will it deter me?' he added.

Ever since he arrived in the U.K., Ayman Alhussein worked very hard to acquire citizenship. As a skilled cinematographer, he worked on several films. These include a short film in partnership with the BBC.

There's no doubt that Alhussein is among the talented and hardworking immigrants contributing the British economy. Aside from sharing his talents, he also worked hard on his English, boasting that he speaks the nation's language more fluently compared to his Arabic.

Firms Now Need to Rely on Local Talent

The Refugee Council, the leading U.K.-based charity organisation for refugees and asylum seekers, said that the new immigration crackdown could affect at least 71,000 refugees. This means that companies relying on migrant workers will be affected as well. Care homes are among the firms that could experience the new U.K. immigration crackdown's full-blown impact.

The immigration changes could negatively impact millions of potential workers from Asia, Africa, South America, as well as the Middle East. Travel agencies and recruiters warned that the tougher visa standards could make the U.K. less attractive as a migration destination.

According to GOV.UK, the new UK immigration rules will greatly reduce the nation's reliance on overseas recruitment. Instead, the government will start prioritising those who greatly contribute to the economy.

The policies will also end British citizenship and automatic settlement for refugees staying in the country for five years. New applicants will have to stay for at least 10 years before they can apply for a settled status. Aside from these, immigrants who want to live and work in the country need to meet higher English requirements.

Although the wide-ranging changes are aimed at creating a fair immigration system, many industry experts are still doubtful about their overall impact.