Skilled workers who relocated to the UK with the expectation of a five-year pathway to settled status are encountering challenges and uncertainties related to current immigration regulations.
Kushani Suraweera, a senior care worker who arrived in October 2023, planned her family's future around the anticipated five-year route. She expressed concerns that a potentially extended period of temporary status could create ongoing instability for families, particularly for children being educated in the UK.
Similarly, Deepa Natarajan and Vinoth Sekar, nearing eligibility for settled status, have reported that their current immigration status restricts their access to certain fertility treatments. Natarajan has urged ministers to reconsider policies, highlighting the personal and familial implications of these uncertainties and the importance of preventing families from having to choose between maintaining lawful status and pursuing family planning.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/03/skilled-workers-settled-status-in-uk-snatched-away
