The proposed rules double the standard qualifying period for settlement from five to 10 years, with certain lower-skilled roles requiring up to 15 years. While ministers are expected to offer exemptions for care staff currently in the UK, critics across parliament warn the policy mirrors past immigration injustices. The Home Office has granted around 200,000 health and care worker visas over the last five years, highlighting the massive cohort directly exposed to these changing requirements.
Key points
Extended residency timelines risk driving essential staff away and worsening severe perso…: Extended residency timelines risk driving essential staff away and worsening severe personnel shortages across adult social care and the NHS.
Migrants can potentially shorten their waiting periods by securing higher earnings or ear…: Migrants can potentially shorten their waiting periods by securing higher earnings or earning points through contributions to local communities.
Cabinet members and backbenchers have openly criticized the proposals, with opponents dra…: Cabinet members and backbenchers have openly criticized the proposals, with opponents drawing direct parallels to the Windrush scandal.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Shabana Mahmood will announce sweeping new rules on Monday on how long legal migrants must wait for permanent settlement in the UK, with most likely to wait a decade and some up to 15 years.
Ministers – including the housing secretary, Angela Rayner – had raised concerns about the effect the rules would have on careworkers already in the UK who would be likely to face a 15-year wait for settlement.
The government’s response to the consultation on the reforms, which will be put before MPs on Monday, is expected give some exemption to care workers already in the UK, though most other professions will face the lengthy waits for settlement.
Mahmood has proposed that the settlement wait can be reduced if legal migrants show they have contributed to their local communities via a “points based system” or if they are earning higher incomes.
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