Route to ILR
Skilled Worker to ILR.
The UK's main work route. Five qualifying years with a licensed sponsor, and a handful of rules that quietly decide whether year five actually counts.
Continuous residence under current law. Time on Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Scale-up and some other work routes can combine. You can apply up to 28 days early.
In any rolling 12-month period, not per calendar year. Exceeding it usually breaks continuous residence and restarts the clock.
The general threshold, or your occupation's going rate if higher. Lower thresholds apply to Immigration Salary List (£33,400) and eligible health, care and education roles.
Per person, applying in the UK, from the current official Home Office fee table.
A government consultation (closed February 2026) proposes moving the default Skilled Worker qualifying period from 5 to 10 years, with earned reductions. As of July 2026 no outcome has been published and no rule has changed. The 5-year rule above is the law today. SettleWell watches this daily and will tell you the moment anything changes.
What ILR actually requires on this route
Your sponsor still needs you
At ILR your employer must still hold its licence and confirm it needs you for the foreseeable future. Your settlement application leans on their paperwork. Verify the licence, don't assume it.
Salary that clears the bar on the day
The threshold is tested at application, not on average. A salary dip below the applicable threshold or your occupation's going rate at ILR time is a refusal, even after five perfect years.
English and Life in the UK
English was proven when you got the visa (B2 for visas issued from 8 January 2026; earlier holders extend at B1). The Life in the UK test is required if you're 18–64. Note: a higher settlement English standard has been laid in the rules to take effect from March 2027.
Partners and children
Partners need their own five years in the UK as your dependant. Their clock does not inherit yours. If you settle first, their next permission is granted for three years while they finish their own qualifying period.
What breaks it
- More than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month window. Count it on a rolling basis, not by visa year.
- Sponsor licence revoked: your visa is typically cut to 60 days to find a new sponsor or leave.
- A gap between visas, even a short one, can break continuous residence entirely.
- Assuming the salary rule is 'what I was hired at': it's tested again, at ILR, against the current thresholds.
This is one page. Your case is a moving picture.
SettleWell computes your dates from your actual trips and visa history, tracks your family's clocks beside yours, and tells you when a rule on this page changes.
Common questions
Can I change employer during the 5 years?
Yes, you need a new Certificate of Sponsorship and a new application, but continuous residence keeps running as long as there's no gap in permission. The new employer must be a licensed sponsor.
What happens if my sponsor loses its licence?
The Home Office usually curtails your visa to 60 days (or your remaining leave if shorter). You'd need a new licensed sponsor and a fresh application in that window. SettleWell watches your sponsor's register entry and alerts you the day its status changes.
Does time on other visas count towards the 5 years?
Time on Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Scale-up, T2 Minister of Religion, International Sportsperson, Representative of an Overseas Business and Tier 1 can combine with Skilled Worker time. Student time does not count.
Is the 10-year Skilled Worker rule already in force?
No. It is a consultation proposal, not law. The qualifying period today is 5 years. If the rules change, transitional arrangements will matter enormously. Track it rather than guessing.
Official sources
Checked against gov.uk and the Immigration Rules, July 2026. Rules change; SettleWell watches them daily.
This page is guidance only, not immigration advice. For advice on your case, consult an IAA-regulated adviser.