by Rumbidzai Bvunzawabaya | 5 November 2026
The UK Government’s announcement that eligible migrant care workers will retain a five-year route to settlement offers relief to many families. It also carries a wider lesson: when communities organise, find their collective voice and take action, they can help shape the decisions that affect their lives.
When the Home Secretary announced the Government’s approach to earned settlement on 2 November 2026, I found myself reflecting on the journey that had brought us to this moment. For many care workers and their families, the announcement offered something they had struggled to hold on to: hope.
Over the past few years, I have watched the number of families seeking help grow. Some had arrived in the UK with promises of employment that never materialised. Others had lost their jobs, experienced exploitation or found themselves navigating an unfamiliar immigration system with little support.
Behind every case was a person: a mother worried about her children, a father trying to provide for his family, a spouse uncertain about what tomorrow would bring.
At Tulia, we found ourselves stretched as we walked alongside these families, offering legal advice, practical guidance and reassurance. We witnessed their anxiety, frustration and, at times, despair. The announcement brought a measure of relief and reminded me why we keep going.
The Government has announced five-year settlement protection for eligible care workers covered by transitional arrangements linked to the period before the May 2025 immigration White Paper. Employment, earnings and other immigration requirements will still apply. Not every care worker will qualify, and the detailed Immigration Rules and guidance will be crucial to understanding how the protection operates in practice.
This is an important concession, and it deserves recognition. It followed months of campaigning, consultation responses and advocacy by people determined to make their experiences heard.
People signed petitions, contacted their MPs, joined trade unions, attended meetings and shared their stories. Community organisations, faith groups, campaigners and legal professionals helped bring those experiences into the public debate.
No single person or organisation can claim this achievement. Its strength lies in the collective effort. For Zimbabweans living in the UK, and diaspora communities more widely, there are two lessons worth carrying forward.
Build community: there is strength in belonging
One of the most powerful things I witnessed during this period was the role of community.
Through the steady presence of the Freedom prayer platform, community WhatsApp groups, local gatherings and informal support networks, people found ways to come together. These spaces offered more than information. They provided encouragement, friendship, practical help and a sense of belonging during deeply uncertain times.
Migration can be isolating. Many of us arrive determined to build a better future, juggling demanding jobs, family responsibilities and commitments to loved ones back home. When difficulties arise, it is easy to withdraw and believe that our problems are ours alone to solve.
Isolation can deepen anxiety and leave us feeling powerless. Community helps us see that our struggles are often shared and that support may be closer than we think.
Someone who understands the immigration system can help another person find reliable advice. Someone with campaigning experience can explain how to contact an MP or respond to a consultation. A person who feels unable to speak alone may find courage among others facing the same uncertainty.
Through these connections, strangers become friends, friends become allies, and communities begin to recognise the knowledge and influence they already possess.
For the Zimbabwean diaspora, this lesson extends beyond immigration. Our communities hold a wealth of professional expertise, faith, enterprise and lived experience. We can use those resources to mentor younger people, support families in crisis, build businesses and advocate for better services.
But connections need care and purpose. Knowing one another is a beginning; making time, sharing knowledge and showing up when help is needed turns those connections into lasting support.
Sometimes our greatest resource is simply one another.
Take action: every contribution matters
Meaningful change is often built through ordinary people deciding to do something.
Throughout this campaign, people contributed in different ways. A spouse joined a campaign to support their partner. Volunteers offered their skills. Others helped organise focus groups so that affected workers could contribute to the government consultation.
Some joined trade unions, wrote to their MPs or attended lobby days. Others circulated reliable information, helped someone complete a consultation response or encouraged a friend to attend a community meeting. Faith leaders provided spaces for prayer and support, while relatives and friends helped families manage the practical pressures of uncertainty.
Not everyone could attend a demonstration, speak publicly or contribute money. Yet there were many ways to take part.
Too often, we underestimate small actions because we cannot immediately see their effect. A petition signature can feel insignificant. A letter to an MP may seem unlikely to change anything. But when many people take those steps, they bring shared concerns to the attention of decision-makers and create pressure for a response.
Participation does not guarantee the outcome we want. It does, however, give us a way to influence the discussion and ensure that decisions are informed by the experiences of those who must live with them.
As a diaspora, we can respond to consultations, join organisations that represent our interests, hold elected representatives accountable and volunteer our skills. We can also make room for people whose voices are too often overlooked.
We do not all have to do everything. But we can each do something.
The work must continue
Recognising this development must not mean overlooking those who remain uncertain about their future.
There are still care workers who have experienced exploitation, lost their sponsorship or struggled to meet visa conditions because promised work was never provided. For some, the announcement brought relief. For others, it raised difficult questions about whether they will qualify and how much longer they may have to wait.
There are also skilled workers and families outside the protected groups who face the prospect of a longer route to settlement. Their concerns deserve our attention and advocacy too.
The community spirit that sustained this campaign must now help people understand the changes, access reliable legal advice and prepare for what comes next. We must continue pressing for clear rules, fair treatment and protection for workers affected by exploitation.
A policy concession matters. Its value will ultimately be measured by the security it brings to people’s lives.
Put unity into practice
As Zimbabweans abroad, we often speak about unity. We celebrate our heritage, resilience and commitment to supporting families across borders. This moment challenges us to put that unity into practice.
Whether we are addressing immigration difficulties, supporting vulnerable families or creating opportunities for the next generation, working together gives us more ways to make a difference.
We do not have to agree on everything or belong to the same church, profession, political tradition or community organisation. We can recognise a shared concern and choose to act on it together.
The announcement reminded me of the courage I have witnessed over the past few years: people continuing to show up despite uncertainty, sharing what little they had and refusing to give up on one another.
That is the lesson I hope we carry forward. Hope can take practical form in a meeting, a letter, a shared skill or a commitment to stand alongside someone who is struggling.
Let us keep building communities where people belong, knowledge is shared and no one feels they must face difficult circumstances alone. Let us recognise what collective action has helped achieve, while continuing to speak up for those still waiting for security.
The five-year ILR announcement is an important moment for many migrant care workers and their families. Its wider lesson belongs to all of us: when we come together, organise and act, we can help shape our future.
Let us hold on to that lesson. And let us keep going.
Rumbi Bvunzawabaya is the Founder of Tulia, an organisation supporting individuals and families navigating immigration and related challenges. Email info@tulia.org.uk for press enquiries.
