In what could be a significant shift for thousands of overseas health-and-care workers, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told journalists on 28 September that she is “listening carefully” to calls to water down plans that would force care-sector migrants to wait 15 years—rather than the current five—before applying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). The original proposal, unveiled in July, sparked outrage from employers already grappling with chronic labour shortages. Trade bodies warned that extending the ILR timeline would deter recruits just as the UK competes globally for nurses, physiotherapists and senior care staff. Unison said the plan risked “weaponising insecurity” and pushing workers into the grey economy. Speaking ahead of her conference speech, Mahmood hinted that existing visa-holders could be grandfathered onto current rules, with the longer qualifying period applied only to new entrants— a compromise modelled on Australia’s staged migration reforms. She also suggested that time spent in the UK under the new Refugee Work Sponsorship Route (due in 2027) could count towards settlement, smoothing integration pathways. For HR and mobility professionals, the uncertainty underscores the need for agile policy. Companies sponsoring Health and Care Visa holders should scenario-plan around two timelines for ILR eligibility. Extending ILR triggers costs—such as repeat visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge— which may have to be factored into assignment budgets or compensation packages. Mahmood’s comments come amid fierce internal Labour debate over immigration targets. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner publicly defended the original tougher stance, arguing it would reduce net migration while encouraging domestic up-skilling. Business groups counter that tightening settlement routes without parallel training investment risks tipping the fragile social-care system into crisis.
Source: The Guardian
