A call to act: Up to 50000 nurses may leave the UK
November 20, 2025Author: Shorai Dzirambe
I read today that as many as 50,000 migrant nurses could leave the UK if the government pushes ahead with its proposed immigration changes.
This isn’t just a political debate, it’s a clear and alarming risk to patient safety, workforce resilience, and trust in our health and social care system. A system that is already broken.
According to the Royal College of Nursing:
- The government plans to almost double the wait time for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from 5 years to 10.
- These changes could deepen the ongoing staffing crisis across the NHS and social care.
- Many migrant nurses now feel uncertainty, financial strain, and a lack of long-term security, despite their vital contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why this matters so much:
- The loss of experienced, committed nursing staff isn’t just a “numbers issue”, it could directly undermine patient safety and the quality of care.
- Migrant nurses are not just a stop-gap, they are integral to the health service, bringing experience, dedication, and diversity that benefit all of us.
- Policies like this risk sending a message: “You are welcome … until you ask for stability.” That’s a very dangerous signal in a sector built on care.
What could be done instead:
- Offer more secure settlement options such as settled status on arrival, rather than penalising those who have already given so much (indeed they give up so much!).
- Reduce the financial burden, for example, cut the ILR application fees that are currently very high.
- Engage meaningfully with migrant staff about how to build a system where they feel valued, secure, and able to contribute long-term.
For health and social care leaders and for government:
This is more than a workforce issue. It’s a moral issue.
If we lose nursing skills, experience and talent, we don’t just weaken Health and Social Care, we weaken our promise to the people we serve.
I hope decision-makers hear this clearly: we must back those who have built our system. Because without them, the system collapse
