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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood during a meeting with representatives from criminal justice agencies at number 10 Downing Street, Westminster, April 30, 2026
THE Home Office’s “deeply unfair” immigration reforms will put migrant workers at risk of “super-exploitation,” Unison conference warned today.
Delegates in Brighton passed a motion hitting out against the “unjust and cruel” plans, including retrospectively doubling the qualifying period for settlement, also known as indefinite leave to remain, to 10 years.
They renewed calls for a sector-wide visa scheme for social care to prevent overseas workers from being exploited by unscrupulous employers before they qualify for settlement.
Concerns were also raised for “inhumane” plans to raise immigration salary thresholds for NHS and public-sector workers to apply to renew their skilled worker visas.
Workers across the country are losing “jobs, visas and their right to stay, despite being recruited to fill vital roles,” the motion said.
Unison’s national executive council was instructed to launch a national campaign “that brings all migrant workers, from all sectors together” to support the union’s demands.
As delegates meet in Brighton this week, Unison faces pressing questions about pay, organising, workers’ rights and political representation, explains ANDY CHAFFER
Roger McKenzie talks to general secretary of Unison CHRISTINA McANEA about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on members, the local government funding emergency and the threat of Reform UK
The visa system traps workers with abusive employers, creating a vulnerable workforce scared to complain for fear of deportation — that is why we’re campaigning for a ‘common sponsorship’ model instead, writes FAVOUR DAVIDKING
