Victory for care workers in biggest migration overhaul in a generation
Shabana Mahmood dramatically rowed back on controversial plans to hit migrant care workers with draconian new rules in a major victory for the embattled sector.
TL;DR
- Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has revised plans to extend the waiting period for migrant care workers to qualify for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).
- Care workers will now qualify for ILR after five years if they earn over £25,000, a significant concession from previous proposals.
- High earners and public service workers (doctors, nurses, teachers) will fast-track to ILR after three or five years, depending on salary.
- New ILR applicants must have a clean criminal record, no government debt, high English proficiency, and a minimum of three years of National Insurance contributions.
- Small boat arrivals face waiting 20-30 years for ILR, depending on employment status.
- Unions and sector representatives welcomed some changes but criticized the remaining restrictions and the disparity in treatment.
- Plans to allow ILR through volunteer work have been scrapped due to safeguarding concerns.