Mahmood retains five-year settlement route for many care workers

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has scaled back proposed immigration rules after opposition from Labour MPs, unions and Cabinet colleagues. The change means many foreign care workers will keep the existing five-year route to permanent residence, reducing the number of people whose wait will be extended.

Of 1.9 million foreign nationals expected to become eligible for settlement by 2030, about 500,000 will now face longer waits. More than 282,000 care workers who arrived after the pandemic will remain on a five-year qualification period; those who do not meet the criteria can receive a further five-year visa to try again. Critics, including the Conservatives, say the concessions could cost taxpayers £10 billion over time, while Mahmood says settlement should be earned through contribution and compliance with the rules.