Prof Nicola Ranger, the RCN general secretary, told the Guardian: “Health and care services would cease to function without migrant nursing staff. While other countries offer immediate paths to settlement for nurses, the UK is going in the opposite direction.”
The government is proposing to double the time, to ten years, overseas workers must wait before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain.They will also be forced to wait the same length of time before they can claim any type of benefit, including tax-free childcare, disability living allowance or housing support.
Ranger added: “These proposals are no way to treat people who come to the UK to care for patients, become part of our communities and pay tax.
“It is pandering of the worst kind, ignorant of the impact on valued migrant staff and their families, but also the patients who need safely staffed services. Yes, ministers need to grow the domestic workforce, but the UK must also be a welcoming, secure place for international nurses.”
800 medical professionals have now signed a letter to the Home Office condemning the proposals.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/oct/06/nhs-social-care-labour-new-visa-rules-royal-college-of-nursing