Mahmood Expected to Announce Changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain Rules
BBC News reports that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is poised to unveil her final decision on immigration rules for legal migrants next week.
She initially proposed extending the wait for permanent settlement from five to ten years, with lower-paid migrants facing up to 15 years. However, the BBC understands these proposals are likely to be adjusted, significantly exempting social care workers already in the UK from the longer waiting period.
Mahmood's initial plan faced opposition within the government, notably from Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, who deemed it "un-British" to change rules for those who had entered the UK in good faith.
The government's consultation on the proposed reforms garnered 200,000 responses. The Home Office remains tight-lipped until the decisions are presented to Parliament in the coming week.
In September, a Conservative spokesperson criticized Mahmood, claiming she had succumbed to pressure from Rayner and her allies, and would "shred" her own plans.
Permanent residence, or indefinite leave to remain, grants individuals the right to live, work, and study in the UK indefinitely and apply for benefits if eligible.