Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 April 2018 to Question 134853, whether her Department plans to introduce transitional arrangements for Turkish business people who have been in the UK for up to four years under the European Community Association Agreement with Turkey visa scheme to allow them to apply for indefinite leave to remain after four years in the UK.

Turkish business persons who submitted settlement applications under the Ankara Agreement prior to 16 March 2018 will be assessed under the guidance which was in force at the date of application.

For those who do not fall into these transitional arrangements, the Home Office has already announced plans to introduce a new settlement route for Turkish business persons in the Immigration Rules later this year. While the requirements of such a category are to be determined, this will be a charged route in line with others who are seeking to settle in the UK.

Alternatively, Turkish business persons and their family members can continue to apply for further limited leave to remain under the Ankara Agreement on the same basis as they do now. Limited leave to remain applications continue to be free of charge.