Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is facing ongoing criticism from Labour MPs despite watering down initial immigration plans. The revised measures exempt nearly 300,000 foreign care workers from lengthy waits for permanent status in Britain, a concession aimed at appeasing internal party dissent and union concerns.
Under the updated proposals, approximately 75% of foreign care workers will now qualify for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) within five years, a significant reduction from the initially proposed 15 years. For other workers in lower-qualified jobs, the waiting period for ILR has been lowered from 15 to 10 years. Those who do not meet the criteria after five years will be granted a new five-year visa with a second opportunity to qualify.
Despite these adjustments, some Labour backbenchers argue the changes do not go far enough. Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell expressed concern that Channel migrants arriving by small boat will still face a 30-year wait for settled status, potentially creating a "generation of unsettled and insecure young people." He criticized the reliance on new, safe, and legal routes for entry, stating these routes are scarce.
Other Labour MPs also voiced dissatisfaction. Diane Abbott pointed out that individuals earning less than £50,000 could face a 10-year settlement path, an increase from the current five-year policy for some, questioning the fairness of such changes. Stella Creasy inquired about the potential economic impact of longer waiting times for skilled workers not in the care or public sectors, who might now face a decade-long wait.
Conservative critics, including Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, characterized the concessions as a "humiliation" for Mahmood, while Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused the government of a "substantial climbdown" under pressure from what he described as the "open-borders Left." He estimated the cost of these concessions to taxpayers at £10 billion. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage labeled the situation as the "beginning of the capitulation."
Mahmood stated that settled status "must be earned" and that "those who contribute most will settle fastest." She argued that the initial proposals were designed to prevent a significant drain on public finances and strain on public services. Officials have since suggested that the £10 billion figure was outdated, and the recent changes would result in savings of "a few billion" in welfare payments.