Overview
- Unison held a Westminster rally on Wednesday, June 10, where Angela Rayner demanded sector‑wide visas so care staff can move between employers and said retrospective extensions to settlement rules would be wrong.
- The Home Office is consulting on changing the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain, saying it will double the route from five to ten years while some reporting has suggested particular post‑Brexit care visas could face waits of up to 15 years.
- Campaigners warn the employer‑tied sponsorship system leaves migrant carers fearful of speaking up about abuse or unsafe conditions because losing a job can end their right to remain.
- Unison says migrant workers make up nearly 30% of the social care workforce and cites about 111,000 vacancies in England, warning longer settlement waits would worsen recruitment and retention.
- Next steps hinge on the Home Office response to roughly 200,000 consultation replies and continuing political pressure, with outlets highlighting different emphases between union and government claims.