(MENAFN) London Mayor Sadiq Khan has urged the UK government to suspend recent immigration changes that could jeopardize the legal status of hundreds of Transport for London (TfL) employees, following warnings from the TSSA transport union that up to 300 staff members may face deportation.

The new visa regulations, introduced in July, raised the minimum salary required for visa sponsorship and removed several transport-related jobs from the “skilled worker” list.

Addressing the London Assembly on October 9, Khan said these measures had “left TfL staff in limbo,” according to reports.

Khan explained that Deputy Mayor for Transport Seb Dance had written to the migration minister calling for an immediate pause on the new rules and for assurances that TfL workers would be protected. The Home Office confirmed it had received the letter and would reply “in due course.”

Government officials have defended the policy, saying the updated immigration framework is designed to “restore order” and reduce “dependence on lower-skilled international recruitment.”

When questioned about the issue during Mayor’s Question Time by Green Party Assembly leader Caroline Russell, Khan accused ministers of “moving the goalposts.” He said TfL employees were “unclear about whether they can stay in the UK and continue the important work they do for us,” warning that the new visa thresholds would “inhibit TfL’s ability to carry out its functions.”

Russell said she had spoken to several affected workers, many of whom are experiencing severe stress and uncertainty. “One worker, expecting her first child, should be filled with joy, but instead she’s terrified she’ll be forced to leave the country before her baby is even born,” she said, calling the situation “a complete betrayal of the promise they were given.”

The revised rules, which took effect on July 22, increased the salary requirement for sponsored visas to about $53,000 (equivalent to £41,700) for new applicants. TfL currently offers graduate starting salaries of around $39,400 (about £31,000), while trainee station staff earn between $44,800 and $53,100 (roughly £35,300–£41,800) — placing many below the new threshold.

Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the RMT union, praised the mayor’s stance, saying that “transport workers who were hired under clear visa arrangements are facing needless uncertainty which should have been avoided.” He stressed that these employees perform “essential front-line jobs” that keep London’s transport system running.

Dempsey previously revealed that at least 63 RMT members working for the London Underground could be forced to leave the UK, with some removals expected as early as November.

Maryam Eslamdoust, head of the TSSA union, estimated the total number of affected TfL workers at around 300, most of whom came to Britain on skilled worker or graduate visas and now serve as customer service assistants across the Tube network.

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