Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has broken ranks with her own party’s immigration reforms, describing the decision to double the qualifying period for permanent settlement for Health and Care Worker visa holders as “un-British” and “an insult to those who kept the country going through the pandemic”. Under rules taking effect this month, most new care workers must now spend ten years—rather than five—on temporary visas before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain. The government argues that settlement should be a privilege earned over time and says the change will help to reduce net migration. Rayner counters that it will entrench exploitation by tying staff to single employers for longer and deter recruits just as the sector faces 131,000 vacancies. Home Office statistics cited in her interview show international recruitment filled roughly 70,000 care roles in 2022-23 but fell to 26,100 in the year to April 2025 after earlier tightening.
![Angela Rayner brands longer settlement wait for care-worker visa holders ‘un-British’]()
For individuals and employers now grappling with the extended visa timeline, VisaHQ offers practical support in preparing and submitting UK Health and Care Worker applications, managing renewals, and staying compliant with sponsorship duties. Its dedicated portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) provides step-by-step guidance, document checklists, and expert consultations that can help reduce processing delays and avoid costly errors.
Industry bodies warn that an abrupt drop in overseas hires could force care homes to limit admissions or close units, with knock-on effects for National Health Service hospital discharge. Corporate occupiers of private medical and senior-living facilities should expect continued staffing volatility, potentially increasing relocation costs where on-site nurses or carers are required as part of assignment packages. Employers making intra-company transfers that rely on private care for dependants may also encounter longer waiting lists or higher fees as providers scramble for labour.
For individuals and employers now grappling with the extended visa timeline, VisaHQ offers practical support in preparing and submitting UK Health and Care Worker applications, managing renewals, and staying compliant with sponsorship duties. Its dedicated portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) provides step-by-step guidance, document checklists, and expert consultations that can help reduce processing delays and avoid costly errors.
Industry bodies warn that an abrupt drop in overseas hires could force care homes to limit admissions or close units, with knock-on effects for National Health Service hospital discharge. Corporate occupiers of private medical and senior-living facilities should expect continued staffing volatility, potentially increasing relocation costs where on-site nurses or carers are required as part of assignment packages. Employers making intra-company transfers that rely on private care for dependants may also encounter longer waiting lists or higher fees as providers scramble for labour.
