Free calculator
Your ILR date, computed to the day.
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is UK settlement. Enter your route and when your qualifying period started to see your earliest eligibility date.
This tool provides guidance only. Always consult a licensed immigration advisor for official advice.
How your ILR date is calculated
Your ILR eligibility date is your qualifying period start date plus the length of your route: 5 years for most work and family routes, 3 years for Global Talent, or 10 years on the long residence route. The clock assumes continuous residence: spend too long outside the UK, or leave a gap between visas, and it can reset. This calculator gives you the earliest date you could be eligible; your real date depends on keeping that residence unbroken.
Tier 2 to Skilled Worker: does old visa time still count?
Yes. If you held a Tier 2 (General) visa before moving to Skilled Worker, that time can count towards the same 5-year ILR qualifying period. Skilled Worker replaced Tier 2 (General) on 1 December 2020. GOV.UK: Skilled Worker sponsor guidance.
The Immigration Rules include former Tier 2 (General) permission within the definition of Skilled Worker, so moving between these names does not itself restart your settlement clock. When using this ILR calculator, select Skilled Worker and include your eligible Tier 2 (General) time when entering your qualifying start date. You do not automatically need to start from your first visa carrying the newer name. GOV.UK: Immigration Rules definitions.
Check that your old visa was specifically Tier 2 (General) before using this example. Your full immigration history still matters: if you are unsure which periods qualify, check GOV.UK or a regulated adviser.
Worked example: a Skilled Worker's 5-year date
Suppose Sarah's Skilled Worker visa and qualifying residence both started on 14 March 2022. Assuming her qualifying residence continues without a break, her 5-year period completes on 14 March 2027. Under the current rules, she could apply from 14 February 2027, exactly 28 days earlier, provided she meets the other ILR requirements. GOV.UK: Skilled Worker settlement and when to apply.
To follow the same example, choose Skilled Worker in the calculator above and enter 14 March 2022 as the qualifying start date. The completion date is 14 March 2027; counting back 28 days gives the earliest application date. These are two different milestones to put in your calendar.
This is an illustrative calculation using today's rules, not confirmation that Sarah will qualify in 2027. Reaching the date alone is not enough: she must also meet the applicable residence, salary, sponsorship and other settlement requirements when she applies. If you are unsure how your visa history affects your qualifying start date, check GOV.UK or a regulated adviser.
Your date is the starting point. Create a free SettleWell account to keep your ILR timeline in one place and follow your progress as you update your details. Track your ILR progress →
The 5-year route vs. the 10-year route, in one paragraph
The 5-year route to ILR through Skilled Worker counts eligible time on that route and certain other work routes, including Tier 2 (General); it does not count every visa you have held. GOV.UK: which visa time counts The 10-year route, known as long residence, looks at continuous lawful residence across most immigration categories, so eligible Student and Graduate time can count alongside work visas. Some categories are excluded, and you must meet the route's other requirements. GOV.UK: long residence eligibility. Your qualifying date therefore depends on both how long you have lived here and which permission you held along the way. If your history spans several categories, check GOV.UK or a regulated adviser before choosing your clock.
Qualifying periods by route
Every route sets its own clock and its own absence rule. These are the rules in force today — each route name links to a full sheet on how that path reaches ILR.
| Route | Qualifying period | Absence rule |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 5 years | 180 days per rolling 12 months |
| Spouse / partner | 5 years | No fixed limit — judged case by case |
| Global Talent | 3 or 5 years | 180 days, with a research carve-out |
| 10-year long residence | 10 years | 180 days rolling (older trips: 184/548-day limits) |
Global Talent settles in 3 years for academia and research endorsements, exceptional talent endorsements, and prize winners; exceptional promise in arts or digital tech settles in 5.
The 28-day early window
You can submit your ILR application up to 28 days before your qualifying period completes. Applying earlier than that risks refusal — with the application fee lost — so the window is worth planning around rather than guessing. Your calculator result above is the completion date; subtract 28 days for the earliest safe submission.
What ILR requires beyond the years
Time served is necessary but not sufficient. An ILR application also needs: English at B1 or better (or an exemption, such as a degree taught in English); the Life in the UK test if you're 18–64; and the £3,226 application fee per person. Work routes add their own tests at the finish line: a Skilled Worker's sponsor must still hold its licence and confirm the job is needed, and salary is tested again on the day of application against the current thresholds, not the ones from when you were hired. See the full cost breakdown →
How absences affect your date
More than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period of your qualifying time can break continuous residence and push your ILR date back. It's the single most common thing that trips people up, and it's measured over any 365-day window — not the calendar year, and not your visa year. Check your absences against the 180-day rule →
What can break your clock
- Excess absences. Over 180 days out in any rolling 12-month window (on routes where the rule applies).
- A gap between visas. Even a short lapse in permission can break continuous residence entirely. An in-time application protects you while it's decided.
- A sponsor losing its licence. On sponsored routes your visa is typically cut to 60 days to find a new sponsor or leave. Check any employer's licence →
Which visa time counts
On the 5-year work clock, time on Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Scale-up and some other work routes can combine. Student and Graduate time doesn't count towards it — though it does count towards the 10-year long residence route, which accepts almost any lawful residence. On the 5-year partner route, the 60 months must be as a partner in that route. When your history spans categories, the route sheets above cover which clock fits.
The earned-settlement proposal, briefly
A government consultation (closed February 2026) proposes replacing the fixed 5-year rule with a points-style model built on a 10-year baseline, with earned reductions and penalties. As of now, no outcome has been published and no rule has changed: the qualifying periods above are the law today. If you want to see what the proposals would mean for your timeline, the earned settlement calculator models the published consultation, clearly labelled as a proposal.
Questions people ask
How many years do I need for ILR?
It depends on your route. Most work and family routes (Skilled Worker, spouse/partner) qualify after 5 years of continuous residence. Global Talent can qualify in 3 years. The 10-year long residence route is for people who've lived in the UK lawfully for 10 years on any combination of visas.
Can I apply for ILR before my qualifying date?
You can usually submit your ILR application up to 28 days before your qualifying period is complete. Applying earlier than that risks a refusal, so the 28-day window matters.
How much does ILR cost?
The ILR application fee is £3,226 per person (Home Office fees effective 8 April 2026). Add around £50 for the Life in the UK test, plus biometric and any priority-service costs. Every family member applying needs their own application and fee.
What English level do I need for ILR?
Typically CEFR B1 in speaking and listening, or an exemption such as a degree taught in English. Two changes are worth knowing: visas issued from 8 January 2026 already required B2 at the visa stage, and a higher settlement English standard has been laid in the rules to take effect from March 2027.
Do absences affect my ILR date?
Yes. Spending more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period of your qualifying time can break the continuous residence ILR depends on. Use the absence calculator to check where you stand.
Does time on a Graduate or Student visa count toward ILR?
Generally no. Time on Student and Graduate visas doesn't count toward the 5-year settlement clock, though it can count toward the 10-year long residence route. If you're planning to switch to Skilled Worker, the earlier you switch, the sooner your settlement clock starts.
Do my partner and children get ILR when I do?
Not automatically. Each family member has their own clock and their own application. Dependant partners generally need their own five years in the UK, even where the main applicant qualifies sooner — a Global Talent holder can settle at year three while their partner waits until year five.
What's the difference between the 5-year and 10-year routes?
The 5-year clock runs inside a single qualifying route, like Skilled Worker or partner. The 10-year long residence route is a safety net: ten years of continuous lawful residence on almost any combination of visas, including student time, for people who've switched categories along the way.
Is ILR the same as British citizenship?
No. ILR is settlement: the right to live in the UK without time limit. Citizenship (naturalisation) is a separate, later application with its own requirements and fee. The Life in the UK test only needs passing once — it counts for both.
Is the 10-year 'earned settlement' rule already in force?
No. It is a consultation proposal, not law. The qualifying periods above are the rules today. If the rules change, transitional arrangements will matter enormously — SettleWell watches gov.uk daily and alerts users the moment anything changes.
What was Skilled Worker called before?
Skilled Worker replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa on 1 December 2020. If you held Tier 2 (General) permission before then, that time generally still counts towards your 5-year ILR clock under the Skilled Worker route — see the Tier 2 section above for how to enter it in this calculator.
Can I track my ILR progress over time, not just calculate a date?
Yes. The calculator above gives you a one-off date; signing in for a free SettleWell account turns that into an ongoing ILR tracker, following your progress against your real timeline as your details change.
Figures from the Home Office fee table effective 8 April 2026 and rules verified against gov.uk. Guidance in plain English, not legal advice — for anything consequential, check gov.uk or a regulated adviser.