More than HALF of migrants would be barred from Britain as they wouldn't earn enough under Tory immigration plans

Migrants would need to be earning more than £28,000 to remain in Britain.

Under these proposed changes, over half of the two million migrants who would soon become eligible for indefinite leave would no longer be earning enough to meet the stipulations.

Data shows that 72 per cent of skilled work visas went to migrants who were likely earning less than the average UK salary, which is approximately £37,000 a year.

Only five per cent of all visas in 2022-23 were given to high-skilled migrants who are likely to be net contributors.

Badenoch said that migrants can be granted permanent residency if they have been working and not claiming benefits. They also must not have used social housing or have a criminal record.

The Tory leader also said that the period that migrants can apply for indefinite leave should be raised from five years to 10 years.

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Badenoch added that those who receive permanent residency “should only go to those who have demonstrated a real commitment to the UK”.

The North West Essex MP said that people who come to the UK to claim benefits and social housing are “not net contributors to our economy”.

“They are net recipients and that makes everybody poorer, because it means other people are having to work harder to pay for migrants' housing and benefits,” she said.

Under the proposals, after waiting 10 years to get indefinite leave, migrants would then have to wait five years, rather than 12 months, before being able to seek citizenship.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: “Indefinite leave to remain must be earned. You must contribute more financially than you take out of the system, even more so if you wish to bring a dependant, and be a part of the community you wish to join.

“A British passport is a privilege, one that has been debased by benefit tourism for too long. Our plan gets it right, making sure that those who pay their way get to stay.

“Labour wants hard-working taxpayers to subsidise recent arrivals who have never paid into the system. That is fundamentally unfair and the Conservatives’ new policy will end it. We only want a limited number of migrants who will actually make a real contribution.”