Andy Burnham says it is "only fair" for qualifying care staff to "settle earlier" under visa rules

Prime Minister Andy Burnham backed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s revised immigration rules, which shorten the path to permanent residency for foreign social-care staff who satisfy their visa terms and earn £25,000 or more annually. The change followed criticism from senior Labour figures of an earlier proposal that could have made workers with lower qualifications wait as long as 15 years. Under the new approach, those meeting the earnings and visa conditions can seek settlement after five years; others may take another five-year care visa and then apply, with freedom to leave an old sponsor. Mahmood also said refugees arriving by small boat would face a 20-year wait, extended to 30 years if they neither work nor study. Burnham said the changes were appropriate for people who help their communities. More than 200,000 consultation responses were received.