Earned Settlement: The 10-Year ILR Plan and Where It Stands

The 10-Year Plan: How Long You Would Wait for ILR

The Home Office published a consultation paper, which is a plan the government asks the public to comment on. The name comes from its main idea: people would earn the right to settle, for example through their work and pay. Under the plan, the usual waits would be:

Most people: 10 years, instead of five today.
People on a Skilled Worker visa (a work visa with an approved UK employer) whose job does not need degree-level skills: 15 years.
Refugees: 20 years at first.

Some people could settle sooner:

If you earned £50,270 or more a year for three years: after 5 years.
If you earned £125,140 or more a year for three years: after 3 years.
If you worked in certain public service jobs for five years: after 5 years.

The plan would also close the long residence route, the way people can now settle after 10 years on a mix of visas.

Two more things would apply to everyone. For three to five years, you would need to earn above £12,570 a year. And you would need English at level B2, which means you can take part in most conversations with ease. That is one step above what most people need now.

Shorter Routes Under Earned Settlement UK

A few groups would not face the longer wait under the plan:

British citizens' husbands, wives and partners would still wait five years.
The five-year wait would also stay for people from Hong Kong on the British National (Overseas) visa.
People on the Global Talent visa (for leaders, or future leaders, in fields such as science, the arts and digital technology) or the Innovator Founder visa (for people starting a business) would keep a wait of about three years.

Key Dates for the Plan So Far

People could send the Home Office their views until 12 February 2026. The Home Affairs Committee, a group of members of Parliament (MPs) who check the Home Office's work, said in a report that the changes were expected in April 2026. That has not happened yet, and no new rules have been sent to Parliament.

Which New ILR Rules Are Already Law?

Just one change has become law so far: a higher level of English. The Skilled Worker rules now say that anyone applying to settle from 26 March 2027 will need B2 English in speaking and listening.

The same change applies to husbands, wives and partners who apply from that date (see the rules on English for partners).

How to Find Your Application Date Now

If you already meet today's requirements, there is no reason to wait for the new plan. Our settlement calculator shows the first day you can apply.

If you hold a work visa, our Skilled Worker settlement page lists the papers to gather, such as your travel dates and proof of what you were paid.

Common Questions About Earned Settlement

What Are the Latest Updates on Earned Settlement Changes?

Nothing is final yet. The Home Secretary told MPs on 15 September 2026 that the final plan should come out later this year. One question still open is whether people already living in the UK will keep the waiting times they have now. A promise like that is called a transitional protection.

Will Earned Settlement Apply to People Already on a Five-Year Route?

That has not been decided. When she spoke to MPs, the Home Secretary said the five-year wait could stay for some groups but not for others. She gave an example: if the rules stay as they are, someone who arrived in 2022 could apply in February 2027.

How Long Does an ILR Decision Take?

After you apply, you go to an appointment to give your fingerprints and a photo. On the normal service (not the paid faster one), most decisions come within six months of that appointment. The ILR processing time page explains the faster options and what they cost.