Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff said Britain’s proposed immigration restrictions could weaken the economy and make it harder for migrant workers to integrate, as the National Health Service relies on immigration.
In an Oct. 23 column in The Guardian, Hinsliff said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s plans could extend the wait for some foreign workers to as long as 15 years, from five under the previous rule. She wrote that the change would be backdated to 2021.
Hinsliff also recounted an episode involving her mother’s caregiver, who was delayed after an elderly client she visited before Hinsliff’s mother was found collapsed on the floor. The client lived alone and had no family to visit. The caregiver was in her early 20s, Hinsliff wrote, and she used the incident to describe the responsibilities care work can place on young workers.
Hinsliff argued that immigration contributes to Britain’s economy, public finances and public services, including the NHS. She warned that measures making it harder for foreign workers to put down roots could undermine their integration.
