The Home Office Responded to Our Report. Here Is What It Means.

When we published, Moving the Goalposts, our report on the impact of proposed UK settlement reforms on migrant care workers in May, we promised the migrant workers who shared their stories that their voices would be heard.

On 1 June 2026, the Home Office responded. Click here to read Home Office full response

The letter, from the Human Rights, Family and Settlement division, acknowledged our research and set out the government’s current position on settlement and visa sponsorship.

What the Home Office Said

On settlement, the Home Office confirmed that the standard qualifying period may move from five years to ten years, with a possible extension to fifteen years for some lower-skilled roles. It also confirmed that the consultation, which closed in February 2026, is still being analysed.

Importantly, the Home Office said that this analysis will include consideration of possible exemptions or transitional arrangements for people already on a route to settlement.

That means one of our core recommendations, transitional protection for those already in the system, is still under consideration.

On sponsorship, the letter acknowledged concerns about worker mobility and said the government is exploring reforms to make it easier for workers to move between sponsors. This reflects what our research found: 73% of care workers said they felt unable to leave their workplace because of visa risks.

What It Does Not Say

This letter is an acknowledgement, not a commitment.

The Home Office has not endorsed our findings. It has not promised transitional protections. It has not confirmed that migrant care workers’ experiences will shape the final policy.

But it has confirmed that the door is still open.

Why This Matters

The Home Office stated that, without transitional arrangements, the new settlement policy will affect people already in the system who are not settled when the new rules come into force.

That is exactly the concern raised in our report: people came to the UK legally, worked in good faith, and built their lives around a five-year route. Now that route may change beneath them.

As one worker told us:

“I brought my family here because I believed this government had promised a route.”

Another asked:

“And what guarantee do I have?”

Without transitional protections, the answer is: none.

Because the Home Office is still analysing the consultation and final rules have not yet been made, this is a critical moment. We need to remain diligent, informed, and engaged. Migrant care workers and affected families should continue to participate in ongoing surveys, evidence-gathering exercises, and consultations being carried out by the Home Office and relevant stakeholders.

The outcome is not yet settled. That means every voice still matters.

Applying new rules to future applicants is one thing. Applying them to people already here, who planned their lives around a different promise, is another.

That is not a radical demand. It is a fair one.