The government’s flagship overhaul of Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) has hit fresh turbulence after Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to guarantee that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s proposals will be implemented in full. Speaking at a press huddle on Friday, 23 October 2026, the PM said ministers were still ‘reflecting on the consultation responses’ and would “come forward with our decisions soon,” even while insisting that settlement “must be earned through contribution.” Mahmood’s package—first trailed in November 2025—would lengthen the standard qualifying period for ILR from five to ten years and push some lower-paid routes, including social-care visas, out to 15 years. The measures have proved politically toxic. Several senior Labour cabinet members, notably Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, have criticised any plan that would keep foreign care workers in limbo for an extra decade. Business groups warn that uncertainty over the rules is already deterring employers from sponsoring staff on long-term assignments, while trade unions fear the changes will deepen workforce shortages in the National Health Service and social-care sectors. Behind the scenes, officials say more than 200,000 migrants have secured ILR since the consultation closed in February, a rush that will only accelerate if the reforms are watered down. Immigration lawyers report a 40 per cent spike in “defensive” ILR applications from workers who were not planning to settle but fear the window may soon close. Universities UK and the CBI have both lobbied for exemptions for international researchers and intracompany transferees, arguing that Britain’s competitiveness depends on retaining global talent. For now, employers must continue to plan on the basis of the existing five-year rule—yet they should also scenario-test for a longer settlement horizon and consider contractual clauses that make relocation packages contingent on future policy. Migrants with visas due to reach the five-year mark in 2027–28 should gather evidence of continuous residence and tax compliance early, so they can file promptly if the rules tighten with little notice.
Source: The Independent
