Earned settlement · Skilled Worker

Earned settlement for Skilled Worker visa holders

If you're on a Skilled Worker visa, the proposed earned settlement reform changes your route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from a fixed 5 years into a points-style model. Here's what it means for your timeline.

Last updated: 18 June 2026

Estimate my timeline

Proposed under consultation — not yet law. These rules come from the 2025 Immigration White Paper and the A Fairer Pathway to Settlement consultation (CP 1448). New Immigration Rules could be introduced from around April 2026. This page is guidance, not legal advice.

Your baseline qualifying period

10 years — or 15 years for roles below degree level

Most Skilled Workers in graduate-level roles (RQF 6 and above) would face a 10-year baseline. Skilled Workers in eligible roles below degree level (RQF 3–5), including many social care workers, are proposed to face a longer 15-year baseline before adjustments.

Ways to settle faster

Only the single largest reduction applies — they don't stack.

−7 yearsTaxable income of at least £125,140 for 3 years.

−5 yearsIncome of at least £50,270 for 3 years; OR a specified public-service role (NHS, teaching at RQF6+) held for 5 years; OR being the partner or child of a British citizen.

−3 to −5 yearsExtensive, sustained community volunteering.

−1 yearEnglish at C1 (CEFR) — above the new B2 minimum.

What could make you wait longer

+5 yearsIf public funds (benefits) are claimed for less than 12 months.

+10 yearsIf public funds are claimed for more than 12 months.

+ up to 20 yearsFor illegal entry, arriving as a visitor, or overstaying more than 6 months. The total qualifying period is capped at 30 years.

Who this applies to

These proposals are drafted to apply to all Skilled Worker visa holders who have not yet been granted ILR, including those already in the UK partway through their current 5-year route. Time already accrued is expected to count, but the qualifying period itself is being recalculated. Care workers and middle-skilled roles are the group most likely to move onto the 15-year baseline.

Your earned-settlement checklist

Confirm your role’s RQF skill level — it decides whether you face a 10 or 15-year baseline.
Track your taxable income across rolling 3-year windows to see if you reach the −5 or −7 reduction.
Keep at least 3 years of National Insurance contributions / earnings ≥ £12,570.
Reach B2 English minimum (or aim for C1 for the −1 year reduction).
Avoid gaps in lawful status and keep continuous-residence absences under 180 days a year.
Pass the Life in the UK test before applying.

Estimate your own timeline

Our free calculator applies the proposed baseline and adjustments to your situation in seconds — privately, in your browser.

Open the earned settlement calculator

Related settlement routes

Global Talent route Dependant visa route

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Will Skilled Workers have to wait 10 years for ILR under the new rules?

Under the proposed earned settlement model the baseline for most Skilled Workers in graduate-level roles is 10 years, reduced by income, public-service work, volunteering or English level. Roles below degree level, including many care workers, face a 15-year baseline. None of this is law yet.

Do social care workers face a longer settlement wait?

Yes — the proposals put eligible roles below degree level (RQF 3–5), which includes many social care roles, on a 15-year baseline rather than 10, before any reductions are applied.

Can a high salary reduce my Skilled Worker settlement period?

Yes. Earning at least £50,270 for 3 years is proposed to cut 5 years from the baseline, and earning at least £125,140 for 3 years cuts 7 years. Only the single largest reduction applies.

Does time already spent on my Skilled Worker visa count?

The proposals are expected to count lawful residence already accrued, but the total qualifying period is recalculated under the new baseline and adjustments. Use our calculator for an estimate based on the published proposals.