A senior UK cabinet minister has declined to explicitly endorse a proposal that could require some migrant workers to wait 15 years before qualifying for permanent residence, highlighting divisions within the government over its planned immigration reforms.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh repeatedly avoided backing the proposed 15-year qualifying period during interviews on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, while expressing support for wider efforts to reform the immigration system and for Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
The ITV News report on Fahnbulleh’s position said the minister emphasised the need for immigration reform based on control, compassion and recognising migrants’ contributions, but did not explicitly endorse the proposed waiting period.
What did the minister actually say?
Fahnbulleh said the UK needed to reform its immigration system, arguing that it should balance border control with migrants’ ability to integrate and contribute to society.
When asked directly about the proposed 15-year wait, she pointed to the consultation process and said the Home Secretary would announce which measures the government intended to pursue.
She also said she fully supported Mahmood’s wider efforts, but declined to confirm that she backed the specific proposal to extend the settlement qualifying period to 15 years.
Her position is therefore more specific than a rejection of the entire reform package. She supported the broader objective while withholding explicit endorsement of one contentious measure.
The disagreement follows a now-removed post on Fahnbulleh’s constituency website in which she raised concerns that extending the settlement process could affect integration. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has also expressed concerns about applying changes retrospectively to migrants already living in the UK. The Guardian’s report on the cabinet disagreement said the proposals had faced criticism from Labour figures and that the government was still considering responses to the consultation.
Who could face a longer wait?
The proposal concerns changes to the UK’s settlement system, which governs when eligible migrants can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), allowing them to live permanently in the country without immigration time restrictions.
The Home Office’s earned settlement consultation considered increasing the standard qualifying period to 10 years, with a possible 15-year starting point for certain sponsored workers in occupations below Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 6, broadly below degree level. The proposal included workers on the Skilled Worker and Health and Care routes.
This does not mean every foreign worker or every NHS employee would automatically face a 15-year wait. The final rules, occupational classifications and any exemptions will determine which groups are affected. Care workers have been a particular focus of the debate because of their role in the UK’s social care workforce. Questions also remain about whether some workers would receive different treatment and how any final changes might apply to people already in the country.
For Nigerians and other migrants working in the UK, the outcome could affect long-term plans involving employment, family life and permanent residence. However, Fahnbulleh’s interviews have not themselves changed anyone’s immigration status.
What rules apply now?
Published government guidance continues to describe a five-year settlement route for eligible Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visa holders, subject to meeting the relevant requirements. The current GOV.UK guidance on indefinite leave to remain explains the eligibility conditions for workers applying through the existing route.
The proposed reforms should not be confused with rules already in force. The government has said it is reviewing consultation responses before deciding which measures to take forward. Key outstanding questions include the final qualifying periods, possible exemptions, transitional arrangements for existing residents and when any new rules might begin.
What happens next?
The Home Office is expected to set out its position after considering the consultation responses and the concerns raised by ministers and other stakeholders.
Migrants should look for an official policy announcement and updated immigration rules before making decisions based on the proposed qualifying periods.
Until the government confirms the final arrangements, the 15-year period remains a proposal rather than a universal rule currently in force.
The debate highlights a wider policy challenge for the government: how to change settlement requirements while addressing concerns about fairness, integration and the effects on sectors that rely on migrant workers.
Related coverage: Trivane News has also reported on migrant care workers and the UK settlement debate.
