Politics1 min read

Mahmood to set out changes to settlement rules for legal migrants

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The proposed framework originally sought to extend the baseline wait for indefinite leave to remain from five years to 10 years, with some lower-paid workers waiting up to 15 years. Following intense pressure from figures like Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and Labour backbenchers, the final plan is expected to shield most current social care staff from retrospective rules. Opposition critics claim the impending climbdown undermines earlier commitments regarding the taxpayer costs of low-wage migrant labor.

Key points

  • Revised settlement regulations are expected to protect most legal migrants currently work…: Revised settlement regulations are expected to protect most legal migrants currently working within the domestic social care sector.
  • Internal cabinet discord and parliamentary pushback have substantially altered the scope…: Internal cabinet discord and parliamentary pushback have substantially altered the scope of the government's planned immigration restrictions.
  • Opposition leaders argue that modifying the retrospective measures weakens the administra…: Opposition leaders argue that modifying the retrospective measures weakens the administration's broader economic and immigration policy stance.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

- Published

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will announce her final decision on changes to immigration rules on Monday.

Mahmood proposed extending the wait for permanent settlement from the current five years to 10, with some lower-paid migrants facing a 15-year wait, in response to a period of high net migration.

But she faced criticism for proposing to apply the changes to migrant workers already in the UK, with Housing Secretary Angela Rayner saying this would "change the goalposts".

The BBC understands understands the proposals are likely to be revised for most of those currently working in social care. The Conservatives said Mahmood had "capitulated control of immigration policy" to Rayner.

Many lower-paid social care workers were facing a wait of up to 15 years rather than five.

The home secretary is expected to announce her final decision in a statement to MPs in the House of Commons.

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR), also known as settlement, gives a person the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as they like and apply for benefits if…

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