London (UK): British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is considering adopting the ‘Denmark Model’ to tackle rising immigration, a plan that involves stringent controls and an overhaul of the asylum system, according to British media reports this weekend.
Denmark is considered one of the toughest countries in Europe on immigration. Reports indicate that Mahmood recently sent senior Home Office officials to Copenhagen to study the Danish model with a view to implementing a similar framework in the UK.
Under the Danish system, most individuals who successfully seek asylum from conflict zones are granted permission to stay only on a temporary basis. This status persists until the government declares their home countries safe for return. According to the BBC, Home Office officials have also taken note of Denmark’s strict rules for family reunification.
These rules include financial requirements, an age threshold of over 24 years to prevent forced marriages for residency rights, and strict housing regulations designed to prevent the formation of migrant enclaves.
As per The Sunday Times, refugees wishing to settle in the UK under the proposed changes would be required to achieve a high level of English proficiency and have no criminal record. If granted asylum, they could also be required to cover the costs of their housing and other benefits.
The report cites a leaked document which claims the Home Office has identified at least 14 sites capable of housing up to 10,000 migrants. This is part of a major systemic shift aimed at enforcing stricter conditions and limiting most migrants to temporary stays in Britain.
