Queen Elizabeth addressed immigration issues in her throne speech this morning

The Queen Elizabeth II opened the new parliamentary session with a throne speech in the House of Lords today. In a throne speech, which outlined the government’s plans to pass new laws, the following was announced:

"The new immigration law will put an end to freedom of movement and lay the foundation for a fair, modern immigration system that meets global requirements. My government intends to preserve the residency rights of resident citizens who made a great contribution to the country's economy."

The main elements of the bill are:

• Termination of free movement of EU citizens in accordance with UK law.

• Establishment of a procedure governing the treatment of EU citizens arriving after January 2021, the treatment of citizens of non-EU countries, and the establishment of a procedure for treating EU citizens residing in the UK until Brexit date.

• Clarification of the immigration status of Irish citizens in the UK after the abolition of the rules regulating free movement.

• Clarification of the application deadline in accordance with the EU Settlement Scheme.

• Granting EU citizens and their families the right to appeal against decisions in respect of the EU Settlement Scheme.

The right of appeal for EU citizens who are denied residence will undoubtedly be very welcomed. At the moment, the only real remedy is an administrative review.

The bill is forecasted to "pave the way for a new point-based immigration system."

The government also plans to pass a bill on foreign offenders, which "will increase the maximum sentence for foreign offenders who return to the UK in violation of the deportation order."

Today, in view of the current political situation, there is practically no chance of adopting these bills. However, it is entirely possible that in general elections in the coming months, the government will receive a majority in parliament and will insist on translating the bills passed today into legislative acts.