Re: Labour’s Proposed Migration Policies and Changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain
UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch Black Members Self-Organised Group strongly condemns the Labour Party’s recent proposals on migration, including the extension of the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five years to ten. These policies are a worrying shift towards hostile, exclusionary immigration practices that directly harm the very people keeping our public services afloat. As part of its new immigration pledges, Labour has committed to:
- Bringing down net migration
- Reducing reliance on overseas workers
- Shutting down legal pathways such as the social care visa
- And now, doubling the time it takes for immigrants to secure ILR and the right to settle and live in safety.
These proposals will disproportionately affect Black and migrant workers, many of whom work in underpaid, undervalued, yet essential roles across social care, healthcare, education, and cleaning services. They have already endured instability, exploitation, and racism and now face even greater insecurity. We are already hearing from distressed members who are affected by these changes. They are frontline workers, taxpayers, trade unionists, and carers. These are the people being told that 5 years of contribution is not enough, that they must wait a decade to be allowed to belong.
The decision to close the care worker visa scheme is particularly shameful, given the critical staffing crisis in the sector. Migrant workers were rightly hailed as heroes during the pandemic. Now they are being discarded and excluded from the very system they held up.
UNISON stands for justice, equality, and solidarity. We do not and will not support immigration policies that divide working people, prolong legal limbo, or weaponise the right to remain. We reject the false narrative that migrants are the problem. The real issue is systemic underinvestment, exploitation, and a lack of political courage to tackle inequality.
We call on UNISON at every level, from branches to regions to the NEC to take a firm stand against these harmful proposals. We demand that Labour rethink this approach and return to policies rooted in compassion, fairness, and human rights.
Migrant rights are workers’ rights. And no one should have to wait 10 years to be treated with dignity.
Isabella Ingibina
Black Members Officer