The UK Government has announced plans to double the standard qualifying period for migrants seeking permanent settlement, extending the wait from five to 10 years under a new “Earned Settlement” model.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out the final proposals, which would replace the automatic expectation of settlement after five years with a system in which migrants must meet additional requirements to qualify for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).
Under the reforms, the standard pathway will increase to 10 years. Migrants will also need to demonstrate sustained employment and National Insurance contributions, meet a higher English-language standard, have no criminal record and owe no debt to the taxpayer.
People earning at least £50,271 (approximately A$96,020) a year for three of the five years immediately before applying will be eligible for settlement after five years. Those earning more than £125,141 (approximately A$238,990) a year, as well as highly skilled migrants on routes such as Global Talent or Innovator Founder visas, will be able to qualify after three years.
Some care workers will retain a five-year pathway, provided they meet the visa requirements and earned at least £25,000 (approximately A$47,750) annually. This provision applies to those who arrived in the UK before May 2025.
Skilled public service workers, including doctors, nurses and teachers, will also be eligible for the five-year route. Certain other health and education workers, such as nursing auxiliaries and teaching assistants, will qualify if they arrived before May 2025. People holding British National (Overseas) status from Hong Kong will also retain a five-year pathway.
The proposals introduce longer qualifying periods for people who have claimed certain benefits or breached immigration rules. They will generally have to wait at least 20 years to qualify for settlement.
People who entered the UK illegally, including by small boat, could face waits of up to 30 years, depending on their circumstances.
The Government has also outlined separate arrangements for refugees. Those who arrive through an official government resettlement scheme will be eligible for settlement after five years.
Other refugees will generally need to wait 10 years and must be working or studying. Those who do neither will face a 20-year qualifying period. Refugees who arrived by small boat or another illegal route will face a 20-year wait if they work or study, increasing to 30 years if they do not.
The reforms are expected to apply to migrants already living in the UK who have not yet been granted settlement. People who have already received indefinite leave to remain will not be affected.
Indefinite leave to remain allows a person to live, work and study in the UK without a time limit. Those who hold ILR can apply for British citizenship after 12 months, provided they meet the other eligibility requirements.
The proposals were first outlined in November 2025. Following a consultation, Mahmood has now announced the Government’s final decisions on the changes it intends to take forward.
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