Trade-union UNISON staged a day of action in Birmingham on 27 April, distributing 20,000 leaflets in Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s constituency and meeting MPs to oppose proposals that would require overseas care workers to live in the UK for 15 years—up from five—before becoming eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Union leaders argue the change would undermine recruitment in a sector where one in three workers is already an international hire and vacancy rates exceed 150,000 roles. They warn the extended qualifying period could push experienced staff to alternative markets such as Canada or the Gulf, intensifying domestic shortages. UNISON is also calling for a sector-wide visa that allows easier employer switching, citing cases where tied visas have facilitated exploitation.
![UNISON campaigns against 15-year settlement plan for migrant care workers]()
At a practical level, navigating the labyrinth of UK immigration rules can be daunting for both employers and staff. Online specialists like VisaHQ provide up-to-date advice, document checking and application tracking for everything from Skilled-Worker visas to Indefinite Leave to Remain, accessible via https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/ Their guidance can shorten processing times and reduce costly errors, giving care providers and migrant carers a clearer route through the system.
The union wants the government’s promised “fair pay agreement” for social care brought forward to counteract what it sees as an impending exodus of migrant talent. The Home Office says the longer ILR route is intended to align with new pay-band structures that will see senior care workers move onto Skilled-Worker visas with salary thresholds above £29,000. However, analysts note care providers—many of them SMEs—struggle to meet higher wage floors that would accompany the reform.
At a practical level, navigating the labyrinth of UK immigration rules can be daunting for both employers and staff. Online specialists like VisaHQ provide up-to-date advice, document checking and application tracking for everything from Skilled-Worker visas to Indefinite Leave to Remain, accessible via https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/ Their guidance can shorten processing times and reduce costly errors, giving care providers and migrant carers a clearer route through the system.
The union wants the government’s promised “fair pay agreement” for social care brought forward to counteract what it sees as an impending exodus of migrant talent. The Home Office says the longer ILR route is intended to align with new pay-band structures that will see senior care workers move onto Skilled-Worker visas with salary thresholds above £29,000. However, analysts note care providers—many of them SMEs—struggle to meet higher wage floors that would accompany the reform.
