Mr Arthur said this comes at a time of already severe workforce shortages and a dramatic collapse in overseas recruitment.

Addressing the issue in the Holyrood chamber today, Mr Arthur said shortages in the care sector had been “already exacerbated” by a sharp fall in health and social care visas issued by the UK Home Office, with new data showing a 77% drop in the year to June 2025.

“It is not acceptable that international care workers now face 15 years of high immigration fees and no recourse to public funds before they are deemed to have earned settlement,” he said. “This is despite the significant contribution they make in providing care to some of our most vulnerable citizens.”

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Mr Arthur said that Scotland’s demographic profile, with an ageing population and slower population growth, means it relies more heavily on international recruitment than other parts of the UK.

“These new changes fail to reflect Scotland’s distinct demographic needs and pose a significant risk to our economy, communities and public services,” he said.

Under Ms Mahmood’s proposals, workers arriving on post-Brexit health and social care visas would be required to wait 15 years before securing permanent residency.

Legal migrants claiming benefits for less than a year would face the same wait, while those supported for more than 12 months could be subject to a 20-year settlement period, the longest in Europe.

The plans would apply to the 2.6 million migrants who have arrived since 2021 but not to those who already hold settlement.

Scottish Care has said the proposals risk destabilising social care provision in Scotland at a time of acute pressure.

Its chief executive, Donald Macaskill, said he was “deeply concerned” by the UK Government’s plans, warning they would have a “profoundly negative” impact on recruitment and retention.

“Forcing dedicated care workers to wait up to 15 years for settlement, and tying their future to restrictive criteria, will deter much-needed talent from staying in Scotland,” he said.

Over the weekend, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar acknowledged the scale of the social care crisis and said long-term improvements must focus on improving conditions within Scotland rather than relying heavily on overseas recruitment.

“I do not think it appropriate to pay poverty wages to social care workers then rely on immigrants to come and fill those jobs,” he told BBC Scotland’s Sunday show, “The way that we address that crisis is properly funding social care, and recognising the important role it plays in the integrated health and social care system.

The warnings come as new figures reveal the scale of unmet need in Scotland’s care system.

Data from Public Health Scotland shows that 7,806 people were waiting for a social care assessment and 3,309 people had been assessed but were still waiting for a care-at-home package, as of 3 November 2025.

The Homecare Association says there’s a £320 million funding gap in Scotland’s home care system.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the backlog was a “stark reminder of just how badly social care has been allowed to drift” by both governments.

“You can’t fix the NHS if social care is broken,” he said. “Every delayed discharge pushes up A&E waits and leaves ambulances queued outside hospitals.”

Mr Cole-Hamilton added: “These figures are a stark reminder of just how badly social care has been allowed to drift. Thousands of people who want to get on with their lives are stuck in hospital waiting for care packages and assessments.

“That’s why Scottish Liberal Democrats have driven action to repair social care — securing millions more for the sector, stopping another wasteful SNP centralisation, and creating a new college route for care workers. The Scottish Government now needs to deliver it on the ground.”