- The confirmed standard settlement period rises to 10 years, but the Immigration Rules have not changed yet.
- The framework keeps three- and five-year pathways for people meeting specified earnings, work, or connection criteria.
- The government expects changes to begin in December 2026, with implementation across 2027; pending applications remain unresolved.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed an earned-settlement system that would increase the standard qualifying period for UK settlement from five years to 10. The policy affects people seeking indefinite leave to remain, including existing visa holders, their families and sponsoring employers.
The Home Office’s consultation response, published on 2 November 2026, sets out the policy. Detailed changes to the Immigration Rules have not yet been laid, and the existing rules continue to apply in the meantime.
Five years alone has never guaranteed settlement. Applicants must already satisfy the requirements of their immigration route, as well as suitability tests.
Mahmood described the government’s rationale this way:
Under the existing system, applicants still need to qualify under the rules in force when their case is decided. The confirmed policy describes a future framework, not an immediate change to those requirements.
The consultation received 204,667 responses: 202,241 from individuals and 2,426 from organisations. The Home Office response also sets out routes shorter or longer than the new standard period.
The shorter routes require earnings or another qualifying basis
The framework includes three-, five-, 10- and 20-year pathways. Earnings do not by themselves establish eligibility: applicants must also qualify under an eligible route and meet residence and other requirements.
| Qualifying period | Main basis set out in the framework |
|---|---|
| Three years | At least £125,141 in three of the four years before applying, or eligibility through the proposed Highest Talent Group. |
| Five years | At least £50,271 in three of the last five years, eligible public-service work, a recognised British connection, or a specified transitional route. |
| 10 years | The standard period, with earnings of at least £12,571 in five of the last seven years, subject to applicable exemptions and mandatory requirements. |
| 20 years | A specified adult immigration breach or recent reliance on specified public funds may lead to this longer period. |
The government’s proposed three-year category includes the Highest Talent Group. The policy also includes eligible health and education public-service roles on national pay scales among possible five-year routes. A recognised British connection, such as marriage to a British citizen, is another listed basis.
Mandatory tests would include English at B2 for most applicants, a Life in the UK test, criminality requirements and rules on government debt. The English level is expected to rise from B1 to B2 on 26 March 2027. Applicable exemptions would remain. People who have relied on public funds could face a requirement to complete five continuous years without state support before applying.
Some established routes stay shorter, but existing visa holders get no blanket exemption
The policy does not generally protect people already in the UK from the longer standard route. Some groups would retain shorter pathways or specific transitional treatment:
- Under the confirmed policy, the government says care workers who entered or switched to the care route before May 2025 and earn at least £25,000 a year retain a five-year route if properly sponsored and employed.
- The government also includes eligible health and education workers on national pay scales among those retaining five-year routes.
The government dropped its proposed 15-year route for workers below degree level; under the confirmed policy, those workers move to the 10-year standard route.
Family members and temporary visa holders face separate tests
Time spent on temporary routes such as Student and Graduate would no longer count toward settlement under the framework. Someone switching from a Graduate visa to Skilled Worker would start counting qualifying time from the switch.
Refugees would face distinct pathways. The framework sets out five years for refugees arriving via safe and legal routes. Other refugees would face 20 years, reduced to 10 if they enter work or study. Small-boat or other clandestine arrivals face an additional 10 years, so up to 30 years.
The start dates and treatment of pending cases remain unsettled
The government expects to begin laying changes in December 2026, with implementation across 2027. No commencement date is confirmed, and no minimum notice period has been promised, so changes could arrive at short notice. The government has not confirmed how pending settlement applications will be treated.
Applications are ordinarily assessed under the rules in force when a decision is made, subject to any transitional provisions. Until the new rules and related guidance are published, applicants cannot determine from the confirmed policy alone which commencement date will apply to their case.
Applicants can review their route, anticipated settlement date, earnings, English requirements and any government debt. Employers may also want to check how the changes could affect sponsored workers. Those nearing settlement or facing complex circumstances can seek advice while they monitor the forthcoming rules and guidance.
Figures reported on the original plan put the number of people whose settlement would be delayed at 799,000; under the revised plan, the figure is 517,000.
