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Trade unions are pressuring the UK government to soften immigration rules that would extend wait times from five years to ten years for permanent residency, and up to fifteen years for those on health and social care visas. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has defended these changes, citing the need to address the large number of people arriving in the UK. Labour MPs have criticized parts of the proposal, especially regarding its impact on workers already in the country. Unison, a major union, argues that the rules will deter essential workers from taking critical jobs and labels the measures as discriminatory against migrant workers.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Trade unions are urging the UK government to soften proposed changes to immigration rules that would make it harder for foreign workers to secure permanent residency. The plans, announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood last year and maintained under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, would increase the wait time for most migrants from five years to 10 years for settlement, and up to 15 years for those in health and social care roles. Delegates at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) unanimously backed a motion calling for any changes affecting workers already in the UK to be withdrawn, citing the significant reduction of international technicians by over 1,500, or 12%, between January and March this year due to stricter settlement requirements. The government claims it has received 200,000 responses to its consultation on these proposals, indicating a wide range of public opinion on the matter.
Written for “UK Immigration Rules” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.60 for article 10755 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-16
- Published
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.
asserted
workers → publish → 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.
asserted
workers → approve → wait
The proposals were announced last year by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has kept the same role under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
asserted
who → announce → Burnham
Delegates at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) backed a motion calling for any changes affecting workers already in the UK to be withdrawn.
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changes → back → UK
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.
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they → say → them
Mahmood has previously defended the plans, saying the "unprecedented" number of people arriving in the UK demands an answer from the government.
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number → defend → government
Under the government's proposals the standard wait to qualify for settlement, also known as indefinite leave to remain, would increase to 10 years.
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wait → qualify → 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.
asserted
who → arrive → years
Indefinite leave to remain gives a person the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as they like and apply for benefits if they are eligible.
asserted
they → remain → benefits
The changes would not apply to people who have already obtained settlement but would cover people already living in the UK, including those who had been expecting to get permanent residence in the coming months.
Some Labour MPs have also criticised plans for the changes to apply to migrants already in the UK.
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changes → apply → UK
Earlier this year, when she was a backbench MP and not a government minister, Angela Rayner, herself a former care worker, labelled the proposals "un-British".
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Rayner → label → proposals
Rayner, who has since been appointed housing secretary by Burnham, warned that "moving the goalposts undermines our sense of fair play".
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moving → appoint → play
At the time, Burnham, who was still Greater Manchester mayor, said he understood where Rayner was "coming from" and that Labour "would do well to listen to what Angela has to say".
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Angela → say → what
The UK's biggest union, Unison, called on delegates to agree they were "alarmed at sweeping attacks on migrant workers which render them second-class citizens in the UK".
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them → call → UK
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.
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period → say → sector
"The government wants to give bankers a three-year route to settlement, but social care workers will be kept waiting for 15 years," she said.
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she → want → years
"What does this say about how public service workers are valued?
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workers → say → What
What does this say about the soul of the country, when health and social care is seen as being a low contributor, but bankers as the highest?"
The Society of Radiographers seconded the motion, setting out how international technician numbers had plugged major gaps in NHS workforces, but that numbers had fallen 12% by more than 1,500 between January and March this year because "the goalposts had moved" on settlement.
The motion, which also called for the five-year route to settlement to be retained for workers, was passed unanimously by delegates.
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route → say → delegates
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It → deliver → inbox
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