UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham signals possible visa exemption for foreign care workers

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he wants “fairness” for overseas care workers and hinted he could exempt them from a Home Office plan that would raise the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain from five to fifteen years. He referenced his own experience caring for his father, who has Alzheimer's, to underline the sector’s reliance on migrant staff.

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner publicly urged Burnham to protect foreign carers, calling the proposed changes “un‑British and unfair.” The proposal, driven by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, would affect workers on health and care visas and has drawn over 200,000 consultation responses. The government says no decision has been made and the new settlement model will be announced in the autumn, as the social‑care sector faces chronic staff shortages.