UK doubles waiting period for residency with exemption for care workers

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s headline announcement on immigration centred on how long someone must spend in the UK before they can be granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR). She said this period will double from five to ten years – but social care workers will be exempt. This proposal was widely expected, but exempting social care workers is a U-turn for the government.

The proposals were met with a mixed response. Some on the left said the qualifying period is too high, while others on the right claimed the plans were too lax on immigration by exempting care workers.

Many migrants came to the UK on the understanding that five years of lawful residence would provide a path to settlement. So the government’s decision to retrospectively change those terms raises serious questions about fairness, trust and the legitimacy of immigration policy.

The UK is now moving towards one of the toughest settlement and naturalisation systems in Europe. In fact, this direction is more readily associated with the political right than a Labour government that presents itself as committed to equality, workers’ rights and social justice. So where are we now with immigration policy, and what does this shift tell us about British politics?

Years of talking tough

The tough naturalisation requirements come off...

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