New research from the Royal College of Nursing has warned that Labour’s latest immigration proposals could drive tens of thousands of nurses out of the UK, raising serious concerns about the future stability of the health service at a time when staffing levels remain under constant pressure.
The RCN findings suggest that as many as one in ten nursing staff across the UK could be affected by the plans, which include forcing migrants to wait ten years before they can apply for settled status and raising the skills threshold for foreign workers to degree level.
The survey indicates that sixty per cent of nurses who do not have indefinite leave to remain say the proposed changes are very likely to influence their decision to stay in the UK, prompting fears of an exodus that could worsen shortages across the NHS.
The proposals have been widely interpreted as an attempt to mirror the hard line immigration stance of Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, who has long advocated tougher rules on migration regardless of the impact on public services.
The SNP has expressed deep concern about the implications for Scotland where an ageing population and workforce gaps make international recruitment an essential part of keeping the NHS functioning.
The party says the plans will leave Scotland at the mercy of a system designed to appease English political pressures rather than support the needs of Scotland’s health service.
Clare Haughey MSP set out the SNP’s position and highlighted the risks she believes Labour is ignoring.
She said:
“We all know that our NHS relies on the valuable contribution made by staff coming from outside the UK to care for those who need it, and Labour’s latest proposals are putting that at risk.
“Rather than talking about what our NHS really needs, Labour and Reform are in a race to the bottom on immigration, and Keir Starmer is putting Nigel Farage before Scotland’s NHS.
“The only way to guarantee Scotland has an immigration system which suits our needs is with the full powers that come through the fresh start of independence.”
The research from the RCN arrives at a difficult moment for the NHS with winter pressures already building, treatment backlogs still affecting patients and vacancy rates in key clinical roles remaining stubbornly high.
Across Scotland, international staff fill roles in wards, GP surgeries, mental health services and social care, with many teams depending on their experience and commitment to maintain safe levels of care.
Nurses arriving from overseas have long spoken of the welcome they receive in Scotland and the opportunities for professional development that brought them here, but the RCN warns that prolonged uncertainty over visas and settlement rules may deter new applicants and drive experienced staff to seek security elsewhere.
Health leaders across the country have repeatedly stressed that immigration policy must support the workforce needs of the NHS, not undermine them, and that any shift in government policy must be aligned with the realities of healthcare staffing rather than the demands of political positioning.
The SNP says the latest proposals from Labour are a reminder that Scotland lacks the power to shape an immigration system that reflects its own demographic challenges and public service priorities.
With the Budget approaching and political debate intensifying, the impact on NHS staffing is likely to remain a key issue in the weeks ahead as parties defend their competing visions for the country’s future.
