Many U.K. social care migrant workers to get PR in five years under softer immigration overhaul

Subscribed with another email? Unlock these with Subscription Updated - November 03, 2026 12:39 am IST - LONDON The news of softer final rules for care workers is likely to impact thousands of Indians who came in on the Health and Care Worker visa scheme, which began in October 2020 and ran until July 2025. The news of softer final rules for care workers is likely to impact thousands of Indians who came in on the Health and Care Worker visa scheme, which began in October 2020 and ran until July 2025. The scheme is associated with reports of Indian care workers – including many from Kerala – being subject to abuse, including unpaid wages, illegal recruitment fees, threats and other forms of exploitation at the hands of employers. Those who have fallen afoul of the initial visa conditions would be given “a second chance”, U.K. Mahmood, was a response to pressure from the left flank of the Labour Party and health unions, as well as a response to a public consultation on the draft policy, conducted earlier this year. The U.K. government said that over 2,02,000 responses were received, most (73%) of whom were visa holders. The government, headed at the time by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, had argued the immigration overhaul was necessary to counter the surge in migration (sometimes called the ‘Boriswave’) in the social care and student categories that happened after Covid, during the administration of Boris Johnson, a Conservative. However, following a tightening in policy started by the Rishi Sunak government and continued by Mr. Mahmood was not in control of the government’s immigration policy and that Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, who is a prominent figure on Labour’s left, was in charge.