Key Facts

• The UK government plans to increase the time for care workers on health and care visas to get permanent residence from 5 to 15 years.
• The change would affect workers who arrived since 2021 and comes after last year’s visa law changes ending overseas care worker recruitment.
• Care workers are currently not allowed to bring family members with them to the UK.
• Labour party members and unions like Unison oppose these tougher visa rules, saying they harm care workers who look after elderly UK residents.
• Mahmood said the government wants fairness for both legal migrants and British citizens, recognizing some see the reforms as unfair.
• The government will open new safe and legal routes for refugee sponsorship, allowing charities and universities to host refugees starting next year.
• The UK will also reopen its resettlement program with the United Nations to help vulnerable refugees find a new life in the UK.
• No final decision has been made on the permanent residence rule changes; Mahmood’s speech shared guiding principles for future decisions.