UK Government Launches Consultation on Major Overhaul of Settlement Rules
Proposed shift to an ‘earned settlement’ model would increase baseline residence for most migrants from five to ten years while introducing contribution and integration criteria
The UK government has opened a public consultation on sweeping reforms to the settlement system, signalling a move away from time-based access to permanent residence and toward a model where settlement is “earned” through contribution, character and integration.
Published on 20 November 2025, the consultation details that most applicants may need to complete a baseline of ten years’ lawful residence before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), rather than the current five years.
The proposed framework rests on four core pillars: character, integration, contribution and residence.
Under the contribution pillar, applicants would be expected to make sustained economic contributions — for example earning above the personal-tax threshold for three to five years — and meet higher English-language standards.
Integration criteria include passing the Life in the UK test and holding an English proficiency of at least level B2 under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
The reforms also introduce a “time adjustment” mechanism: certain positive attributes could reduce the baseline residence period — for example, high earners, global-talent visa holders, long-service public-sector workers or significant volunteers.
By contrast, negative factors such as use of public funds, illegal entry or visa overstays could lengthen the route — some applicants may face qualifying periods of fifteen to twenty years, or up to thirty years in exceptional cases.
Under the draft proposals, most migrants entering under economic routes would face the ten-year baseline.
Those in lower-skilled roles, including some health and care sectors, might be placed on a fifteen-year path.
Refugees under the core protection route may face a baseline of twenty years, though resettled refugees would access the ten-year baseline.
Exemptions would apply for family members of British citizens, British Nationals (Overseas) and those already holding settled status.
The consultation closes at 11:59 pm on 12 February 2026. The government anticipates implementing the new system from April 2026, subject to policy decisions and rule-making.
The changes, if adopted, will apply to anyone who has not yet been granted settlement at the time of implementation.
Employers and organisations that sponsor migrant workers are advised to engage with the consultation and review their current workforce’s pathway to settlement.
They should evaluate which employees may already be eligible and consider whether to submit applications under the existing system.
Long-term workforce planning will also need to account for higher salary thresholds, longer qualification periods and potentially extended sponsorship obligations.
The consultation marks a fundamental shift in the UK’s immigration settlement policy, placing a stronger emphasis on measurable contribution and long-term integration rather than residence alone.
Published on 20 November 2025, the consultation details that most applicants may need to complete a baseline of ten years’ lawful residence before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), rather than the current five years.
The proposed framework rests on four core pillars: character, integration, contribution and residence.
Under the contribution pillar, applicants would be expected to make sustained economic contributions — for example earning above the personal-tax threshold for three to five years — and meet higher English-language standards.
Integration criteria include passing the Life in the UK test and holding an English proficiency of at least level B2 under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
The reforms also introduce a “time adjustment” mechanism: certain positive attributes could reduce the baseline residence period — for example, high earners, global-talent visa holders, long-service public-sector workers or significant volunteers.
By contrast, negative factors such as use of public funds, illegal entry or visa overstays could lengthen the route — some applicants may face qualifying periods of fifteen to twenty years, or up to thirty years in exceptional cases.
Under the draft proposals, most migrants entering under economic routes would face the ten-year baseline.
Those in lower-skilled roles, including some health and care sectors, might be placed on a fifteen-year path.
Refugees under the core protection route may face a baseline of twenty years, though resettled refugees would access the ten-year baseline.
Exemptions would apply for family members of British citizens, British Nationals (Overseas) and those already holding settled status.
The consultation closes at 11:59 pm on 12 February 2026. The government anticipates implementing the new system from April 2026, subject to policy decisions and rule-making.
The changes, if adopted, will apply to anyone who has not yet been granted settlement at the time of implementation.
Employers and organisations that sponsor migrant workers are advised to engage with the consultation and review their current workforce’s pathway to settlement.
They should evaluate which employees may already be eligible and consider whether to submit applications under the existing system.
Long-term workforce planning will also need to account for higher salary thresholds, longer qualification periods and potentially extended sponsorship obligations.
The consultation marks a fundamental shift in the UK’s immigration settlement policy, placing a stronger emphasis on measurable contribution and long-term integration rather than residence alone.
