ILR After Skilled Worker Visa: 5-Year Settlement Guide
Apply for ILR after 5 years on a Skilled Worker visa: payslips for at least a year matching bank statements, plus a B1 English test before March 2027.
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Apply for ILR after 5 years on a Skilled Worker visa: payslips for at least a year matching bank statements, plus a B1 English test before March 2027.
Same-sex partner, fiancé or unmarried partner visa for the UK: £29,000 income threshold, 2 years together, and the 5-year route to ILR.
The UK is raising standard ILR from 5 to 10 years under Earned Settlement. High earners: 3 years. Refugees: 20 years. Rules as of 29 Sep 2026.
From October 8, 2026, the UK settlement route for work visas extends from 5 to 10 years (15 for care workers), and fee waiver no longer counts as an extension.
The UK may extend ILR from 5 to 10 years based on a January 2022 entry cutoff. Here's what's confirmed on asylum rules, FLR, and fee waivers as of September 2026.