On the eve of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, a significant disagreement within the party has emerged over proposed changes to the UK’s immigration rules affecting foreign care workers. Angela Rayner, the Communities Secretary, publicly criticized plans introduced by Shabana Mahmood, which aim to extend the period before migrant workers can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five years to 15. The proposed reforms, designed by the Home Secretary as part of a broader immigration overhaul, would apply retrospectively to migrants arriving since 2021.

Rayner described the policy as unfair and disruptive, particularly for foreign care workers who moved to the UK providing support to vulnerable individuals. She argued that the changes would “change the goalposts” for those who were initially invited to fill critical roles under previous visa arrangements. Speaking before the conference, which opens this weekend, she reiterated her critical stance, which dates back to before her recent return to government under Andy Burnham’s leadership. Rayner emphasized that these care workers had relocated their lives to care for loved ones in the UK and that altering their settlement rights now was “un-British.”

The issue has sparked broader opposition within the Labour Party. Over 100 Labour MPs have signed a letter opposing the proposals and calling for exemptions for foreign care workers. Trade unions, including Britain’s largest union Unison, have also voiced resistance and are organizing demonstrations outside the conference to advocate for exemptions. The party leadership appears divided, as Burnham himself has expressed concerns about the retrospective nature of the plans and is reportedly considering exemptions for care workers already residing in Britain.

The immigration reforms stem from efforts by the current government to reduce net migration and reshape the UK’s visa system. Following a surge in the recruitment of foreign care workers between 2022 and 2024, partly driven by a health and social care visa route opened under the previous Conservative government, the government moved last year to end overseas recruitment for care roles and barred care workers from bringing dependants. The increase in migration during this period, sometimes referred to by critics as the "Boris-wave," saw millions of migrants enter the UK, including approximately 185,000 social care workers between 2022 and 2024.

Mahmood has indicated that a decision on the final form of the policy will be made “very soon,” amid calls for flexibility and exemptions to avoid disrupting the lives of foreign care workers who have committed years of service. While the new Prime Minister has expressed reservations about the proposals and hinted at possible exemptions, the policy’s future remains uncertain as differing views within the Labour Party and the broader government persist ahead of the conference.