Prime Minister Andy Burnham has indicated that overseas care workers could be protected from some of the Government’s tougher immigration reforms, promising to ensure “fairness” for those who came to Britain in good faith to work in the struggling social care sector.
His comments mark the clearest indication yet that ministers are considering easing parts of the planned visa overhaul, which has sparked growing concern among Labour MPs, care providers, charities and trade unions.
Speaking after delivering a major speech on the future of adult social care, Burnham paid a heartfelt tribute to the international carers who look after his father, Roy, who is living with Alzheimer’s disease. He described care work as “the highest calling” and praised the commitment of thousands of overseas workers who have filled critical vacancies across the NHS and social care system.
The Prime Minister’s intervention comes as the Government faces mounting pressure over proposals that would require overseas care workers to wait 15 years before qualifying for indefinite leave to remain, compared with the current five year route. The changes could also affect migrants already living and working in Britain on Health and Care Worker visas if introduced retrospectively.
The proposal has become one of the most controversial elements of the Government’s wider immigration reforms. Critics argue that changing the rules for people who accepted jobs in Britain under the existing system would undermine trust and make it harder to recruit desperately needed staff.
Asked whether ministers were reviewing how the changes would affect care workers already in the UK, Burnham told the Sunday Mirror that he wanted to ensure those who had committed to Britain were treated fairly.
“I wanted to mention people who’ve come from overseas to work in our care system and in our health system as well,” he said. “I see it in the social care system because of the times I visit my Dad.”
He added that many overseas workers rarely receive public recognition despite the vital role they play.
“I don’t think they hear people like me sometimes recognising the fact that they have come all this way and they are contributing so much. It felt right in that moment to recognise them specifically, as well as care workers more broadly.”
Describing the demands of caring for elderly and vulnerable people, Burnham said: “It’s a challenging thing to do, isn’t it, to look after someone else’s mum and dad. To me, it’s like the highest calling you could answer.”
He continued: “It’s an amazing thing that they do that, and it’s just not right that people who, in my view, should be among the highest paid in society get treated as they do.”
The Prime Minister said reforming social care remained one of his Government’s key priorities but stressed that immigration policy must also recognise the contribution made by overseas workers.
“I do want to make sure we get fairness in the rules in relation to people who came here in good faith and made a commitment. I will make sure that we do that,” he said.
Pressed on whether that meant exempting existing care workers from retrospective changes to settlement rules, Burnham acknowledged there were several issues under consideration.
“There is a sponsorship issue that caused some overseas care workers difficulties and there is an issue around indefinite leave to remain. There are other issues as well,” he said.
“What I’m saying is we have to have a firm approach to immigration. We have to ensure that we’re managing access to public services properly, but at the same time, we also need to be fair and recognise the commitment people are making to this country.”
The proposed reforms were announced as part of the Government’s wider strategy to reduce net migration and tighten the route to permanent settlement. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has argued that indefinite leave to remain should be earned rather than granted automatically after five years, saying the changes are necessary to restore confidence in the immigration system.
The Home Office has estimated that without reform around 1.6 million migrants could become eligible for settlement by 2030. Ministers are therefore considering extending the qualifying period to 15 years for many visa holders.
However, the proposal has divided opinion within Labour. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, who worked as a care worker before entering politics, has publicly questioned applying the new rules to people already living in Britain. Senior Labour figures have privately expressed concerns that retrospective changes could be viewed as unfair and damage the UK’s international reputation.
Care organisations including the Care Provider Alliance, Skills for Care, the National Care Forum and trade unions representing health and care staff have also warned that the sector remains heavily dependent on international recruitment. They argue that making settlement more difficult could worsen workforce shortages, increase staff turnover and place additional pressure on hospitals already struggling to discharge medically fit patients because of a lack of care capacity.
According to Skills for Care, international recruitment has played a significant role in reducing vacancies across adult social care in recent years after record shortages threatened services. Employers have repeatedly warned that domestic recruitment alone has been unable to meet demand, particularly as the UK’s ageing population continues to increase pressure on care services.
The Government has already tightened immigration rules affecting care workers, including measures to prevent abuse of the sponsorship system and restrictions on overseas recruitment where employers fail to meet regulatory standards. Ministers insist they remain committed to reducing migration while ensuring the health and care sectors have access to the staff they need.
The Home Office is currently consulting on whether transitional arrangements should be introduced for migrants already living in Britain. A final decision is expected later this autumn and could determine whether thousands of overseas carers remain on the existing five year pathway to permanent settlement or face significantly longer waits under the new system.
