UK Retains 10-Year Settlement Wait for Most Migrants, Exempts Care Workers

The United Kingdom has revised its proposed immigration reforms, retaining plans to double the standard waiting period for most migrants seeking permanent settlement from five to 10 years while exempting hundreds of thousands of care workers from the extended requirement.

The revised policy, announced on Monday, follows opposition from trade unions and members of the governing Labour Party, who raised concerns about the potential impact of the changes on low-paid foreign workers, particularly those employed in the care sector.

The British government had initially proposed that lower-skilled foreign workers should wait between 10 and 15 years before qualifying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), the official status that allows eligible migrants to settle permanently in the UK.

Under the revised arrangements, however, hundreds of thousands of care workers will retain access to a five-year route to settlement, subject to meeting the relevant eligibility requirements.

The exemption is particularly significant for Nigerians working in Britain’s health and social care sector, which depends on foreign workers to address staffing shortages.

Despite the concession, the standard qualifying period for most migrants will increase from five to 10 years. The changes, expected to take effect next year, will also apply retrospectively to migrants already living and working in the country.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the revised policy was intended to recognise migrants who make significant contributions to British society while imposing tougher conditions on those who breach immigration rules.

“Those who contribute most will settle fastest,” Mahmood said. “Those who don’t play by the rules will be refused or wait longer.”

Under the proposed framework, migrants earning at least £50,271 annually and certain skilled public-sector workers will be able to apply for permanent settlement after five years. Those earning more than £125,000 will qualify for a shorter three-year route.

Meanwhile, refugees who entered the UK illegally, particularly those who arrived by small boats, could face substantially longer waiting periods, potentially extending to decades.

The government estimates that the reforms will reduce by 500,000 the number of migrants who arrived in the UK from 2021 and would otherwise have qualified for permanent settlement by 2030.

Despite the changes, as many as 1.4 million migrants are still expected to qualify for settlement within the same period under the revised arrangements.