Being an immigrant working in the NHS health and care visaI am alarmed, disappointed, angry and frightened by Labour's immigration reform proposals because of their potential impact on me, on other immigrants and on the whole of British society (NHS could shut down under Labour's new visa rules, nurses say, 6 October).
Until official immigration document was published, I naively assumed that anti-immigrant sentiment was limited to Conservatives and reformist Britain. When Labor came to power I felt a huge sense of relief and a dawning sense of security and optimism. I soon realized how naive I was. Betrayed and used, I now fear that I will lose my job and my home.
Work the party must come to its senses. First, immigrants already here should be allowed to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) under the law, as they were when we arrived in the country. This is only fair to our employers and us. Secondly, the health and care visa should remain. Think about your loved ones who need care. Third, the time required to obtain ILR and citizenship should not increase. It's much better to have an island of strangers than an island of corpses. Finally, visa fees should not increase. We earn very little and many struggle to pay for visa extensions. If the NHS and councils lose most of their immigrant workforce and are forced to pay higher visa sponsorship fees for twice as long, they will be seriously affected.
Florence Graham
London
