Mahmood to set out changes to settlement rules for legal migrants

Key Points:

• Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will announce her final decision on extending the wait for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) for legal migrants from five to 10 years, with some lower-paid workers potentially facing a 15-year wait, amid concerns over high net migration.
• The proposed changes, initially applying retrospectively to migrants already in the UK, have faced criticism from Labour MPs and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, prompting likely revisions for social care workers currently employed.
• Mahmood justified the reforms as necessary to reduce public finance burdens, citing Home Office data forecasting significant numbers of migrants settling and associated costs, particularly in the care sector.
• The consultation received over 200,000 responses, with debates focusing on the impact on skills shortages and fairness to existing migrants, while think tanks and former officials highlighted the economic contributions of skilled migrants.
• Conservative and Labour figures expressed contrasting views, with some emphasizing the financial cost of allowing low-wage care workers permanent settlement and others advocating exemptions for those genuinely working in health and social care.