Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood indicated on Monday that the government may soften proposed reforms to the UK’s immigration settlement rules following mounting opposition from within the Labour Party, trade unions, and care sector representatives. Speaking at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Mahmood acknowledged concerns that parts of the plan were unfair, particularly towards care workers and other migrant employees who arrived under earlier visa schemes.

The original proposals, introduced last November, sought to extend the qualifying period before migrants could apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from the current five years to ten years. For care workers, who are deemed vital to the national health and social care system, the waiting period could have been up to 15 years. The reforms would also apply retrospectively to migrants arriving after 2021, intensifying criticism of the plan’s impact on those already working and living in the UK.

Labour’s Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and Unison general secretary Andrea Egan led the backlash, arguing that changing the rules abruptly was unfair to care workers who were invited to the UK to support vulnerable populations. Rayner described the shift as “disruptive” to those who had committed their lives to care roles. Egan criticized the proposals for fueling far-right sentiments by making it more difficult for migrant workers to settle permanently.

In response, Mahmood emphasized the need to balance fairness both for migrants who have legally come to the UK and for British citizens. “We will come to a position that balances fairness for those who came here legally, and fairness to British citizens across this country,” she said. The Home Secretary framed the reforms as part of a broader effort to restore control and fairness to both the asylum system and legal migration.

The government has also signaled intentions to reopen a refugee resettlement scheme aimed at bringing hundreds, eventually thousands, of refugees annually to the UK, targeting vulnerable groups such as Afghan women and girls and Palestinians. These refugees would benefit from a faster route to permanent settlement, with a five-year pathway outlined. Mahmood committed to capping the number admitted each year and pledged stronger measures against criminal gangs facilitating dangerous Channel crossings.

The proposals have drawn criticism from opposition parties as well. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Mahmood of conceding to pressure from the Labour left, arguing that allowing low-skilled and low-wage migrants to settle indefinitely would burden taxpayers, estimating a cost of at least £10 billion. Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman also condemned the government for appeasing internal party factions.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham suggested that careful reconsideration of the reforms was underway, particularly acknowledging the importance of migrant care workers to the UK’s health services. He stressed the need to recognize their contribution to maintaining the care system.

At a fringe event, Mahmood stressed that Labour must reclaim the narrative on public safety and border control rather than ceding it to Conservative or extremist voices. She underscored the rapid pace of immigration change in recent years, suggesting that public concerns must not be ignored to avoid allowing extremist viewpoints to dominate the debate.

The government is expected to revisit the ILR proposals in light of these internal and public pressures, aiming to establish a revised approach that balances immigration controls with fairness to migrant workers and British residents alike.