UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has indicated that the government may reconsider proposed changes that would make it harder for foreign workers, including Nigerians, to obtain permanent residency.
The proposal would increase the standard qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five to 10 years. Under the plans, people who entered the UK through health and social care routes could face a 15-year wait, while migrants who claimed benefits for more than 12 months could potentially wait 20 years.
The proposals have faced opposition from some Labour MPs and trade unions, particularly over their impact on overseas care workers. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner previously described the plans as “un-British” and accused the government of “moving the goalposts”. Unison general secretary Andrea Egan has also criticised the proposed changes.
Speaking at Labour’s annual conference, Mahmood acknowledged concerns that “some have said elements of these reforms are not fair”, saying the government would seek a balance between fairness to legal migrants and British citizens.
She said the reforms would ensure that settled status is “earned by those who have shown a consistent commitment to this country”, while stressing that her parents also came to the UK seeking a better life.
The Conservative Party accused Mahmood of yielding to pressure and abandoning her reforms, but the government has stressed that no final decision has been made.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the reforms must “strike the right balance”, adding that the government was still considering different views submitted during the consultation.
The latest development does not mean the proposed 10-, 15- or 20-year settlement periods have been scrapped. The government is reviewing the proposals and could modify them before the final immigration rules are announced.
