- Home secretary Shabana Mahmood announced that foreign care workers earning at least £25,000 annually will maintain a five-year path to permanent settlement in the UK, addressing what she termed significant abuse of the care route under the previous Conservative government.
- Care workers who failed to meet initial visa conditions will be granted a second chance through a new five-year care visa, allowing them to break away from rogue sponsors and find new employers with government assistance.
- Prime minister Andy Burnham voiced full support for the reforms, stating it is fair to reward overseas workers making valuable contributions to communities following a post-Brexit spike in immigration figures.
- Refugees arriving in the UK through newly established safe and legal routes will be placed on a five-year path to settlement, matching the timeframe granted to high earners entering the country.
- Individuals who enter the UK through unsafe or illegal methods, such as small boat Channel crossings, will face a standard 20-year waiting period for settlement, with an extra 10 years added for illegal entry.
IN FULL
