Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has published the Government’s proposals to shake up Britain’s system for legal migration.

She partially watered down some of earlier plans after a backlash led by Cabinet colleague Angela Rayner.

Here are the key elements of the immigration blueprint now being proposed by the Home Office:

* The default timescale for being allowed to settle in the UK will be ten years.

* People will have to have English to A-level as a foreign language.

* They must have no criminal record - up from the current threshold of no offence leading to punishment of more than a 12-month suspended sentence.

* They must have no public debt.

* Highest earners, with incomes of more than £125,141 and the highly skilled such as those on the Global Talent and Innovator Founder routes will be able to settle after three years.

* Higher rate taxpayers, earning over £50,271, and skilled public sector workers including doctors, nurses, teachers will be able to settle after five years.

* The new standard route for other people who must have earned £12,571 in five of the previous seven years will be ten years.

* Anyone who commits a visa offence or claims certain benefits will have to wait 20 years for settlement.

* People who arrive by ‘small boats’ or other clandestine route will have to wait an extra ten years for settlement, so this could mean 30 years overall.

* Care workers who came to Britain during the Covid pandemic and met their visa conditions and earned at least £25,000 in the last 12 months before applying for settlement will be able to do so after five years.

* Care workers who did not meet these criteria will be able to apply for a five-year visa as part of a second chance to get settlement.

* Care workers who have lost their job due to their employer having their licence revoked, following widespread abuse of these visas, will from February 1 next year have up to 120 days to get work and a further 60 days to resolve their visa and employment status.

* If have not found work by 181 days visas will start to be cancelled and people required to leave the UK.

* Refugees who arrive on safe and legal routes will have to wait five years to settle in the UK.

* Individuals who did not arrive by small boat and have entered work or study will have to wait ten years.

* Those who did not arrive by small boat and have not entered work or study will have to wait 20 years.

* People who have arrived by small boat and have entered work or study will have to wait 20 years.

* Those who have arrived by small boat and have not entered work or study will have to wait for 30 years.

* Partners who arrives with a principal applicant will continue to be able to settle at the same time, provided they meet relevant requirements.

* Children under 18 will continue to be able to settle with their parents.

* The changes are expected to delay settlement for 500,000 people, saving billions in benefits.