A record number of migrants are rushing to get their hands on British citizenship before the "Boriswave" loophole slams shut.
In the year to March, over 312,000 refugees, migrant workers and their families have applied for citizenship in the lead-up to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's crackdown coming into effect.
The Home Office figure represents the highest number of applications on record and double the numbers seen just eight years ago.
Meanwhile, in the two years to March, 331,000 migrants applied for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in another record high - representing a 28 per cent increase from the two years before.
The rush to secure British citizenship is believed to be evidence of the prolonged impact of the “Boriswave” migrants, who entered the country thanks to Boris Johnson's New Plan for Immigration.
But migration experts have suggested the ballooning numbers of applications are being made to get ahead of pledges made by multiple parties to toughen requirements on attaining citizenship and the length of time it takes to achieve.
Dr Nuni Jorgensen from Oxford University’s Migration Observatory said: “An increase in citizenship grants was always expected because non-EU migration rose in the late 2010s, and these people are now becoming eligible for citizenship."
The researchers also pointed towards sharp spikes in applications coming from US and EU citizens, alongside non-EU nationals, and said that the increase "has been sharper than anticipated".
In the year to March, over 312,000 refugees, migrant workers and their families applied for citizenship
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Dr Jorgensen added: "One potential reason is the heavy publicity around Government and opposition plans to restrict permanent status and citizenship.
"In that context, some people may feel it is better to apply for citizenship now rather than risk tougher requirements later.”
To become a naturalised British citizen, migrants must have lived in the country for at least five years - or just three years if married to a British passport holder - and must not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK in that time.
They must also pass a a "Life in the UK" test, prove they can speak English to at least a GCSE standard and be at least 18 years old.
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To become a naturalised British citizen, migrants must have lived in the country for at least five years
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Applicants must also demonstrate that they are of "good character", with no serious criminal convictions, history of tax evasion or violations of immigration laws.
Meanwhile, to qualify for ILR, migrants must have continuously lived in Britain for five years, pass the Life in UK test and meet the English language requirement.
The Home Secretary plans to double the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five to 10 years, with the changes applied retrospectively to migrants already living in the UK under existing rules.
Ms Mahmood's overhaul will also see foreign nationals barred from accessing benefits until they gain citizenship - with current laws allowing migrants to claim welfare once granted ILR.
The Home Secretary plans to double the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five to 10 years
| GETTYThe reforms have sparked fury among Labour backbenchers - with more than 100 MPs signing a letter against the plans, criticising them as unjust and a betrayal of the party's core values.
Meanwhile, migrants and left-wing activists supercharged a petition to keep it at five years to 244,450 signatures, which eventually secured a parliamentary debate.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner also weighed in, labelling the proposals "un-British".
The Conservatives have cast doubt on whether the changes will come to fruition after they were omitted from the King's Speech earlier this month.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp blasted it as "shocking", adding: “I can only conclude that the Government is too scared of its left-wing backbenchers to implement its own plans.
“Time is now of the essence, and the rules urgently need to be changed.
"Only very highly skilled migrants who have made a genuine contribution should be able to stay in this country.
"Low-skilled migrants will have to go home. The Conservative Party will support these changes as long as they are not watered down.”
A Labour source, meanwhile, said: "The arsonists are now pretending to be the fire brigade. They lost control of our borders, and we are restoring it. It takes some brass neck to think they can offer advice now."
A Home Office spokesman said: “The rise in citizenship applications reflects long-term migration trends, with more people now eligible after completing settlement routes.
"The Home Secretary has set out plans for the biggest legal migration reforms in a generation, tackling challenges created by unprecedented migration levels under the previous Government.”
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