Politics · United Kingdom · 2 hrs ago
UK eases proposed settlement rules for foreign care workers
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood revised plans for permanent residency in Britain after Labour MPs and unions opposed tougher rules.
Permanent residency, known as indefinite leave to remain, allows people to live and work in the UK and claim benefits.
The original proposal would have extended the wait for many migrants, including care workers, to as long as 15 years.
More than 282,000 care workers will keep a five-year route if they arrived before March 2025; those arriving later will have a 10-year route, according to the Guardian.
The Daily Mail says about 300,000 care workers are exempt from the proposed crackdown, while the Guardian describes different rules based on arrival date.
The changes mean fewer people will face longer waits: the Daily Mail says 500,000 of 1.9 million people expected to qualify for settlement by 2030 will wait longer.
Critics say the concessions could add £10 billion in lifetime public costs, while supporters of the tougher plan say permanent status should depend on contribution and rule-following.
The revised rules include different routes for other migrants, including a 30-year wait for people who entered illegally, as described by the Guardian.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has revised plans to make migrants wait longer before gaining permanent UK settlement, following opposition from Labour MPs and unions.
Under the revised plan, many care workers will keep a five-year route to settlement, while other groups face longer waits.
The Guardian reports that care workers who arrived before March 2025 will have a five-year route, while those who arrived afterwards will face a 10-year process.
Mahmood said settlement should be earned through contribution and compliance with the rules.
Conservative critics said the changes were a costly retreat from the original proposals.
- Who
- Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out the revised plans.
- What
- The government revised plans for migrants’ eligibility for indefinite leave to remain, or permanent settlement.
- When
- The statement was made on Monday, 2 November 2026.
- Where
- In the House of Commons in the UK.
- Why
- The revisions followed opposition from Labour MPs and unions. Mahmood said settlement should be earned through contribution and following the rules.
UK government
Conservative critics
Settlement rules
UK government
The government says settlement should be earned, with people who contribute more able to settle faster.
Conservative critics
Chris Philp said the revisions were a substantial climbdown and unfair to taxpayers.
Care workers
UK government
The revised plan preserves a five-year route for some care workers and sets a 10-year process for others.
Conservative critics
Critics objected to care workers being exempted from longer waits.
Mahmood’s original proposals for longer settlement waits were unveiled.
Mahmood made a statement in the House of Commons setting out revised settlement plans.
Labour MPs and unions were described as having opposed the original proposals and pushed for concessions.
- Care workers arriving before March 2025
- Five-year route to settlement, according to the Guardian.
- Care workers arriving after March 2025
- 10-year settlement process, according to the Guardian.
- Care workers in the Mail report
- More than 282,000 people remain on a five-year qualification period.
- Settlement for people who arrived illegally
- 30-year wait, according to the Guardian.
- Foreign nationals due to become eligible by 2030
- 1.9 million, according to the Daily Mail.
2 sources
What people are saying
Settled status is one of the most valuable rights this country can offer.
Those who contribute most will settle fastest. Those who don't play by the rules will be refused or wait much longer.
This is completely unfair to hard-pressed taxpayers.
People want to see an immigration system based on control, contribution, and which rewards those who play by the rules.