Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to allow migrant nurses who are not employed by the NHS to qualify for indefinite leave to remain after 5 years.

The Government recognises and values the important contribution that nurses make to the UK and our National Health Service.

The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.