On Monday 2 November 2026 the Home Secretary told Parliament how “earned settlement” will work. It is the biggest change to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in years: the normal wait goes from 5 to 10 years, with faster and slower paths depending on what you earn, where you work and your immigration record. Important: this is the government’s final policy, but it is not law yet. No Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules was laid today and no start date has been given. Here is what was published, who is affected and what to do now.
Summary
- 10 years becomes the normal wait for ILR, if you earn at least £12,571 a year in 5 of the 7 years before you apply.
- Faster paths: 5 years if you earn at least £50,271 (in 3 of the last 5 years), work in an eligible health or education job, or are the partner, parent or child of a British citizen. 3 years if you earn at least £125,141 (in 3 of the last 4 years) or are in the highest talent group.
- New minimum rules for everyone: no criminal record, no government debt, B2 English, the Life in the UK test and no specified public funds in the last 5 years.
- Care workers who came or switched in before the May 2025 White Paper keep the 5-year path if they meet the £25,000 salary and visa conditions.
- Time on Student, Graduate and other temporary visas will no longer count, and the 10-year Long Residence route will close.
What was published on 2 November 2026
- A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: Government response to the consultation (CP 1707, 62 pages), presented to Parliament on 2 November 2026, on the earned settlement consultation page.
- Home Secretary’s oral statement on earned settlement to the House of Commons.
- Home Office news story: Home Secretary unveils new rules for migrants settling in the UK.
- Earned settlement: consultation findings: the public consultation report (204,667 responses) and targeted research with 4,728 visa and protection route holders.
No new Statement of Changes was laid between 30 October and 2 November. The most recent one is still HC 584 (3 September 2026), which we covered in our October 2026 UK visa changes round-up. The government says it will publish technical guidance and a full impact assessment before the new system starts, and the changes will need new Immigration Rules.
The new pathways to settlement
| Wait for ILR | Who it is for | Main condition |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | Highest earners and the highest talent group | Earn at least £125,141 in 3 of the 4 years before applying, or qualify through the highest talent group (for example Global Talent and Innovator Founder; the list is subject to a Migration Advisory Committee review) |
| 5 years | Higher earners, public service workers, British connections | Earn at least £50,271 in 3 of the last 5 years, or work 5 years in an eligible health or education job, or be the partner, parent or child of a British citizen, or on UK Ancestry |
| 10 years | The new default | Earn at least £12,571 in 5 of the 7 years before applying (couples can combine to £25,142) |
| 20 years | People with immigration breaches or who used public funds | Overstaying, breaching visa conditions, deception, or using specified public funds in the 5 years before applying |
The earnings thresholds are tied to income tax thresholds, so they will move if those change. The “best years” approach means a year or two of lower pay, for example during maternity leave, illness or caring, does not automatically put you on a longer path. Children, people aged 65 and over and people who cannot work because of a physical or mental condition are exempt from the earnings rule.
Minimum rules that apply to everyone
- No criminal record: any adult with a UK criminal record will be refused. This includes cautions, fines, community sentences and discharges, not just prison sentences of 12 months or more as now. Overseas convictions count too.
- No government debt: including NHS debt, unpaid tax or National Insurance, and Home Office legal costs.
- English at B2 (equivalent to A level in a foreign language). Having C1 will not shorten your wait.
- Life in the UK test stays, and is being reviewed.
- No specified public funds in the 5 years before applying, or you move to the 20-year path.
Volunteering will not shorten the wait. The government dropped that idea after the consultation, and it also dropped the proposed 15-year path for jobs below degree level (RQF 6).
Who is affected, route by route
| Route | Change | Who’s affected | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | ILR after 10 years unless you earn £50,271+ (5 years), £125,141+ (3 years) or are in an eligible health or education job (5 years) | Skilled Workers earning under £50,271, and their partners | Not set (rules not laid) |
| Skilled Worker, pre-April 2024 | Can extend on the old lower salary rules until 2035 (was 2030) | Workers who came in before the April 2024 salary rise | Not set |
| Health and Care: care workers | Keep 5-year ILR if you entered or switched in before May 2025 and met the £25,000 salary and visa rules. Others can get a further 5-year Health and Care visa | Care workers on the Health and Care route (196,000 expected to settle in 2026 to 2030) | Not set |
| Health and Care: sponsor loses licence | 120 days to find a new job offer, then 60 more days to sort your visa | Care workers whose employer’s licence is revoked | 1 February 2027 |
| Health and education jobs | 5-year ILR for doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers and other national pay scale jobs. Nursing auxiliaries and teaching assistants who came before May 2025 also keep 5 years | NHS, school and social work staff | Not set |
| Student, Graduate, HPI, Youth Mobility, Global Business Mobility, Seasonal and Temporary Workers | Time on these visas will no longer count towards settlement. Long Residence (10 years) closes | Students and graduates planning to stay long term | Not set |
| Dependants | Partners who arrive together can settle together. Partners who join later must complete the same period. Children under 18 settle with parents. Ages 18 to 24 can still settle with family. At 25 you need your own route | Families on all work routes | Not set |
| Family (British citizen sponsor), UK Ancestry | Stays at 5 years, but new minimum rules (B2, no criminal record) apply | Partners, parents and children of British citizens | Not set |
| Family (not British sponsor) | Moves to a longer path | Around 39,000 people expected to settle in 2026 to 2030 | Not set |
| Refugees | 5 years on safe and legal routes. 10 years on Protection Work and Study, 20 years on Core Protection. Illegal entry adds 10 years (up to 30) | People granted protection in the UK | Not set |
| Unchanged | Hong Kong BN(O) (5 years), Armed Forces, Afghan schemes, Windrush, EU Settlement Scheme, bereaved partners, domestic abuse victims | These groups (B2 and criminality rules still apply to most) | No change |
In force, coming soon and proposals
In force today: nothing changed on 2 November. The current 5-year ILR rules for Skilled Worker, Health and Care and most other routes still apply.
Coming soon (already in the rules or given a date):
- 30 November 2026: higher student maintenance funds.
- 1 January 2027: Graduate visa cut to 18 months for new applications.
- 1 February 2027: care workers whose sponsor loses its licence get 120 + 60 days (announced today).
- 26 March 2027: B2 English for most ILR applications (already in the rules).
Decided policy, not law yet: the 3, 5, 10 and 20-year pathways, the earnings thresholds, the no-criminal-record and no-debt rules, the public funds rule, closing Long Residence and the care worker transition. These need a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules. No date has been given. Settlement rules apply at the date of your ILR decision, not the date you arrived, unless the new rules say otherwise.
What to do now
- If you can apply for ILR under the current rules, check your date now. Our ILR and citizenship date calculator works out your earliest date under today’s rules.
- Check your earnings record. Keep payslips and P60s for every year. Our take-home pay calculator shows whether your salary is above £50,271.
- Work on your English. Book a B2 test well ahead, as B2 is needed from 26 March 2027 anyway.
- Pay off any NHS, tax or HMRC debt and avoid anything that could give you a criminal record, including fixed penalties that go to court.
- Changing jobs? Find employers who can sponsor you with the visa sponsor jobs search or the licensed sponsor search, and check the cost of extensions with the visa cost calculator.
- Practise for the Life in the UK test. See all our free UK checks.
FAQ
Has the 10-year ILR rule started?
No. On 2 November 2026 the government published its final decision, but the Immigration Rules have not been changed and there is no start date. The current 5-year rules still apply until new rules are laid in Parliament.
I am a Skilled Worker earning £45,000. When can I settle?
Under the new policy, 10 years, because £45,000 is below the £50,271 threshold for the 5-year path. If your job is an eligible health or education occupation, such as a nurse or teacher, you can still settle after 5 years. If you reach 5 years before the new rules start, you may be able to apply under today’s rules.
I came as a care worker in 2023. Am I affected?
If you entered or switched into the care worker route before the May 2025 Immigration White Paper and met your visa conditions, including the £25,000 salary, you keep the 5-year path. You must still meet the new minimum rules, such as B2 English and no criminal record. If you did not meet the conditions, you can apply for a further 5-year Health and Care visa.
Does my time on a Student or Graduate visa count?
Under the new policy, no. Time on Student, Graduate and other temporary visas will not count towards settlement, and the 10-year Long Residence route will close. Only time on routes such as Skilled Worker, Global Talent, family routes and protection routes will count.
Can my partner settle with me?
Yes. A partner who arrives with you can settle at the same time, as long as they meet the requirements. A partner who joins later must complete the same qualifying period. Couples can combine their earnings to meet the £25,142 household threshold for the minimum contribution rule.
Official sources: Government response CP 1707, Home Secretary’s statement, Home Office news story and Statements of changes to the Immigration Rules on GOV.UK.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check GOV.UK or speak to a regulated immigration adviser (OISC/solicitor) for your situation.
Last checked: 2 November 2026
