Visual Protest at Labour Conference Center Over Proposed Visa Reforms
LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom — More than 400 migrant care workers staged a demonstration outside the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on September 28, 2026, using symbolic displays and collective song to demand that the government withdraw proposed immigration reforms affecting social care staff.
Organized by UNISON—Britain’s largest public sector trade union—the demonstration saw participants pose in chains while singing “Jailer,” a track by Nigerian artist Aṣa addressing themes of captivity and systemic exploitation. The action sought to highlight the vulnerabilities created by employer-tied visas and proposed extensions to permanent residency timelines.
Dispute Over Proposed Settlement Extensions
The demonstration targeted immigration reforms put forward by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. Under the proposals, low-paid migrant care workers in non-graduate roles would be required to reside in the UK for 15 years before becoming eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), an extension from the current five-year route.
Campaigners and union officials argue the changes represent a step backward following recent Home Office updates to sponsorship regulations. Under current rules, an overseas care worker’s legal right to remain in the country is tied directly to a single sponsoring employer. UNISON contends that extending the settlement timeline to 15 years risks trapping workers in precarious or abusive employment conditions due to fear that reporting workplace misconduct could result in visa cancellation and deportation.
Political Backlash and Cabinet Division
The proposed changes have drawn criticism from within government and party ranks:
- Union Leadership: UNISON General Secretary Andrea Egan warned that extending settlement periods directly threatens Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s commitment to establish a National Care Service. “The government must drop these plans, keep the promises made to migrant workers, and invest properly in public services,” Egan stated.
- Cabinet Opposition: Communities Secretary Angela Rayner reaffirmed her opposition to the extended settlement timeline, reiterating previous descriptions of the proposal as “un-British”.
- Parliamentary Pushback: More than 100 Labour MPs have signed a formal letter opposing the prospective changes, particularly citing concerns over applying revised settlement criteria retroactively to individuals already working in the UK care sector.
Calls for Systemic Reform
UNISON’s Fair Visa Campaign is calling on the Home Office to abandon the proposed 15-year pathway, preserve the existing five-year route to settlement, and introduce a sector-wide visa scheme that allows care staff to switch employers without losing their legal status.
Government ministers have indicated that discussions regarding transitional arrangements remain ongoing as parliament evaluates the long-term structure of the UK’s social care workforce.
