UK Earned Settlement: Will Your ILR Wait Become 10 Years?

Imagine you are a software tester in Manchester. You arrived from Hyderabad on a Skilled Worker visa in 2023. You have counted the months to 2028, when you planned to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). Then you read that the wait could double to 10 years. Your landlord wants a longer lease. Your parents ask when they can visit for good. What do you tell them?

The short answer: As of 2 November 2026, the 5-year route to ILR on a Skilled Worker visa is still the law. The government has proposed "earned settlement": a 10-year baseline, with shorter waits for some people (3 years for very high earners, 5 years for some higher-skilled and public service workers) and longer waits for others (15 years for many lower-skilled jobs). These plans are not yet in the Immigration Rules. The Home Secretary said in September 2026 that the final policy will come "later this year" (House of Commons Library, 21 September 2026). One part is already law: a higher B2 English level for settlement on several routes from 26 March 2027. Plan for both outcomes now.

What is law today, and what is only proposed

Many posts online mix these up. Here is the split, as of November 2026.

A white paper or a consultation does not change the law. The rules change only when the government lays a "statement of changes" in Parliament. When that happens, the date it starts will be written in it.

How earned settlement would work

Think of it as a starting number, with points added or taken away. The consultation and the Commons Library summary describe two parts (Commons Library, 21 September 2026).

Part 1: minimum requirements for everyone

To apply for ILR at all, you would need to:

• have no criminal conviction (today, the usual bar is a sentence of 12 months or more)
• have earned more than £12,570 a year for 3 to 5 years, or have another set level of income
• speak English at B2 level (an A-level standard, up from B1)

Part 2: your personal qualifying period

Source: House of Commons Library, summarising the November 2025 consultation. The Library says the range of outcomes could run from 3 to 30 years.

The consultation also proposed that partners and adult dependants of workers would have to earn settlement in their own right, not alongside the main applicant. If your partner does not work, ask yourself: how would they meet the earnings rule?

Will it apply to you if you are already in the UK?

Probably, but nothing is final. The consultation said the government proposed to apply the changes to "everyone in the country today who has not already received indefinite leave to remain" (GOV.UK consultation, November 2025). It also asked whether some people should keep the old rules through "transitional arrangements".

The consultation closed in February 2026 with more than 200,000 responses (Home Office, March 2026). On 15 September 2026, the Home Secretary told MPs she would make final decisions "very soon" and publish the policy "later this year" (Commons Library). In late October 2026, newspapers reported a split in the cabinet, and Downing Street did not rule out softening the plans (The Guardian, 21 October 2026).

So the honest position is this: you cannot know your final wait yet. You can still act on what is certain.

What to do now: stay, speed up or switch

If you are close to 5 years

• Check your exact date. Count from the date your first Skilled Worker permission started, not from the day you landed. Check how much time you spent outside the UK.
• Book the English test you will need. From 26 March 2027, several routes need B2 for ILR. Ask yourself: if the rule applies to you, can you pass B2 today? It takes an estimated 200 hours of study to move from B1 to B2 (Home Office, March 2026). Our guide to being one band short on an English test shows how to plan a retake.
• Budget for the fee. ILR costs £3,226 per person as of the 8 October 2026 fee table. A couple with two children pays four fees.
• Be ready to apply on your first eligible day. Every statement of changes says which applications it covers. When the earned settlement rules are published, read that part first: the date you apply may decide which rules you face.

If you are 1 to 3 years in

You may be the group most affected. Look at what would cut your wait under the proposals:

• Pay above £50,270 in a higher-skilled job (proposed 5 years). Is a move to a higher-paid role realistic in the next year?
• Public sector healthcare or teaching roles (proposed 5 years).
• A clean record on public funds. Most Skilled Worker visas already say "no recourse to public funds", so keep it that way.
• Volunteering with a registered organisation, with records.

Keep every payslip and P60. Under earned settlement, your earnings history becomes evidence.

If you are in a medium-skilled or care job

The proposed baseline for these jobs is 15 years. That is a very long time to live on a temporary visa that depends on one employer. Read our guide to the UK care worker visa changes and alternatives. Then ask yourself honestly: is the UK still the best place to build your permanent life?

If you have not moved yet

Compare the UK with countries that give permanent residence at the start or after a shorter fixed period. Canada's Express Entry and Australia's subclass 189 are permanent visas from the day they are granted. Each has its own points test and costs. Our guides on migrating to Canada, migrating to Australia and the fastest countries to get permanent residency explain the trade-offs. The UK Skilled Worker visa guide and our breakdown of the full Skilled Worker visa cost show what the UK route costs at the start.

The real cost of a longer wait

A longer wait is not only time. Until you have ILR you usually keep paying for visa extensions and the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is £1,035 per adult per year (GOV.UK, November 2026). You stay tied to a sponsor. A job loss starts a clock. For a family of four, five extra years on visas can cost more than a deposit on a flat.

On the other side, the UK still offers a known route, a large job market and, for many people, family and community already here. The question is not "UK good or bad". It is "what does each extra year cost me, and what do I get for it?"

Frequently asked questions

Has the UK changed ILR to 10 years?

Not yet. As of 2 November 2026, the 10-year baseline is a proposal from the November 2025 earned settlement consultation. The Skilled Worker route to ILR after 5 years is still in the Immigration Rules. The government said it would publish the final policy later in 2026.

When will earned settlement start?

There is no fixed date. The Home Secretary said in September 2026 that the policy would be published "later this year". The rules will start on the date written in the statement of changes, so watch GOV.UK.

Will earned settlement be retrospective?

The consultation proposed applying it to everyone who does not yet have ILR, including people already in the UK. It also asked whether some groups should keep the old rules. No final decision had been announced as of 2 November 2026.

What English level do I need for ILR?

Today it is usually B1. From 26 March 2027, applicants on several routes need B2. The government is still considering whether to extend B2 to more routes.

Can a spouse on a dependant visa still settle after 5 years?

Under today's rules, dependants usually settle with the main applicant. The consultation proposed that dependants of workers would need to earn settlement in their own right. That is still a proposal.

How much does ILR cost in 2026?

£3,226 per person, according to the Home Office fee table dated 8 October 2026. Add the Life in the UK test and any English test you need.

This article is general information, not legal advice. The earned settlement policy was not final on 2 November 2026 and could change, sometimes with little notice. Always confirm with the official source and a licensed lawyer or registered adviser before you act.