Unions urge ministers to soften planned changes to immigration rules

Trade unions have voted unanimously at the Trades Union Congress to demand the government withdraws proposed immigration rule changes affecting workers already living in the UK. The controversial plans would extend the wait for permanent residency to 10 years for most migrants, and 15 years for health and social care workers, according to BBC News.

Trade unions are putting pressure on the government to soften proposed changes to immigration rules, which would make it harder for foreign workers to secure permanent residency in the UK. If the plans are approved, most migrants would have to wait 10 years to qualify for permanent residence, rather than five years, while foreign workers on health and social care visas would face a 15-year wait. The proposals were announced last year by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has kept the same role under Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Delegates at the Trades Union Congress backed a motion calling for any changes affecting workers already in the UK to be withdrawn. A government spokesperson said ministers had received 200,000 responses to a consultation on the proposals, which was launched under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and they were carefully considering them. Mahmood has previously defended the plans, saying the unprecedented number of people arriving in the UK demands an answer from the government.

Impact on Key Public Services

Under the government’s proposals, the standard wait to qualify for settlement would increase to 10 years. People who arrived on health and social care visas would face a 15-year wait, while those who relied on benefits for more than 12 months would have to wait 20 years. The changes would cover people already living in the UK, prompting criticism from some Labour MPs. Earlier this year, Angela Rayner labelled the proposals un-British, warning that moving the goalposts undermines fairness.

The government wants to give bankers a three-year route to settlement, but social care workers will be kept waiting for 15 years.

— Debbie Rowden, Unison senior vice president, BBC News

The UK’s biggest union, Unison, called on delegates to agree they were alarmed at sweeping attacks on migrant workers. Unison senior vice president Debbie Rowden said the plans would drive away international staff despite shortages in critical roles, including in the care sector where the qualification period would treble. The Society of Radiographers seconded the motion, stating that international technician numbers had fallen 12% between January and March because the goalposts had moved on settlement.

• Standard wait for permanent residency to increase from five to 10 years
• Health and social care visa holders face a 15-year wait for settlement
• Motion passed unanimously by delegates at the Trades Union Congress
• Ministers considering 200,000 consultation responses on the proposals

Ministers are considering the consultation responses before deciding the next legislative steps for the immigration rule changes.

Original source: Read the full report at BBC News