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UK settlement 10 years is now the new standard wait for permanent residence in Britain — but not everyone will wait that long. On 2 November 2026, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the government’s final earned settlement policy: the standard route to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) will rise from five years to ten years. The Home Office estimates more than 500,000 people already in the UK will now wait longer to settle.
Settlement is the right to live in the UK permanently, work without restriction, and later apply for British citizenship. Until now, most skilled workers could apply after five years. Under earned settlement, how long you wait will depend on what you earn, the job you do, your family ties, and whether you have followed the rules. In short, UK settlement 10 years is the wait for most people, while a smaller group keeps a five-year route.
This is decided policy, not yet law. The current five-year route still applies today. The new Immigration Rules are expected to be laid from December 2026 and brought in over the course of 2027.
UK Settlement 10 Years: The New Pathways at a Glance
The framework was published as A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: Government Response to the Consultation (CP 1707), after 204,667 consultation responses. The government dropped some of its harshest earlier ideas, including a 15-year route for lower-paid roles.
| Wait | Who it covers | Earnings rule |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | Highest earners and the highest talent group | At least £125,141 a year in 3 of the last 4 years |
| 5 years | Higher earners, eligible public service workers, and people with a British connection | At least £50,271 a year in 3 of the last 5 years, or 5 years in an eligible public service job, or a recognised British connection |
| 10 years | The new default for everyone else | At least £12,571 a year in 5 of the last 7 years |
| 20 years | People who committed a qualifying immigration breach or kept accessing specified public funds | At least £12,571 a year in 5 of the last 7 years, after 20 years |
The figures are linked to income tax thresholds. £12,571 is the basic rate threshold, £50,271 is the higher rate threshold, and £125,141 is the additional rate threshold.
Who Still Gets 5 Years?
Higher earners. If you earned at least £50,271 a year in three of the five years before you apply, you can settle after five years. Check where your job sits in the UK pay scale now — under UK settlement 10 years, a salary just below that line could mean five extra years. Our guide to the highest paying jobs in the UK shows which roles are most likely to clear the threshold.
Eligible public service workers. Doctors, nurses, teachers, and other health and education workers in public-sector roles paid on national pay scales can settle after five years, even if their salary is below £50,271. The list includes pharmacists, dentists, paramedics, and social workers in eligible roles.
People with a British connection. Partners, parents, and children of British citizens, and Commonwealth citizens on the UK Ancestry route through a UK-born grandparent, will continue to qualify for a five-year pathway.
Care workers who arrived before May 2025. Care workers who entered, or switched into, the care route before the Immigration White Paper was published in May 2025 will keep the five-year route, if they earn at least £25,000 a year, still have a sponsor and a genuine care job, and meet the other requirements. Care workers who arrived after May 2025 will follow the standard ten-year route. From 1 February 2027, care workers whose sponsor loses its licence will have up to 120 days to get a secure job offer, and a further 60 days to regularise their status.
UK Settlement 10 Years: Who Waits 10 Years?
Under UK settlement 10 years, most people will be on the ten-year route, including most Skilled Workers earning below £50,271 and care workers who arrived after May 2025. To qualify, you must earn at least £12,571 a year in five of the seven years before you apply. Couples can combine earnings to meet a household threshold of £25,142.
Who Waits 20 Years?
The longest route cannot be shortened by high earnings or public service work. It applies to people who committed a specified immigration breach as an adult — including overstaying a visa, breaching a condition of permission, using deception, or frustrating immigration controls — and to people who continue to access specified public funds.
The Mandatory Requirements Everyone Must Meet
Good character, no government debt, English language B2 (required at settlement on specified routes from 26 March 2027), Life in the UK test, and sustained National Insurance contributions and economic participation. These apply to every UK settlement 10 years applicant, whichever route you are on.
What About the Long Residence Route?
The ten-year Long Residence route will close. Time spent on temporary routes such as Student and Graduate visas will no longer build towards settlement once the new Rules are in force — another reason UK settlement 10 years is now the only standard route for most people.
What Should You Do Now?
If you are close to five years, check your date now. If you can apply before the new Rules come into force, do so. If you are on the UK settlement 10 years route, plan for ten years. If you are still outside the UK, choose your route carefully. Read our full guide to visa sponsorship jobs in Canada, UK and USA before you apply. Consider your Plan B, including remote jobs in the USA that pay in dollars and do not depend on a UK visa at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will UK settlement really take 10 years in 2026?
UK settlement 10 years is the new standard announced on 2 November 2026, but it is not yet law. The current five-year route still applies today. The new Rules are expected to be laid from December 2026 and implemented over 2027.
Who still gets settlement in 5 years in the UK?
Higher earners on at least £50,271 a year in three of the last five years, eligible doctors, nurses, teachers and other public service workers, people with a British connection, and care workers who entered the route before May 2025 and meet the £25,000 salary and sponsorship conditions.
Do care workers still get 5 years to settle in the UK?
Only care workers who entered or switched into the care route before the Immigration White Paper in May 2025 keep the five-year route, if they earn at least £25,000 a year and meet the sponsorship and other requirements.
What salary do I need for UK settlement in 10 years?
For the standard ten-year route, you need at least £12,571 a year in five of the seven years before you apply. Couples can combine earnings to meet a household threshold of £25,142. For the five-year route, the threshold is £50,271 a year in three of the last five years. For the three-year route, it is £125,141 a year in three of the last four years. Those are the salary rules for UK settlement 10 years and the faster routes.
Can I still apply for ILR after 5 years if I am already in the UK?
Yes, for now. The five-year route is still in force, and the government has said the Rules in force on the date of the decision will apply. Once UK settlement 10 years comes into force, that option closes.
Disclaimer
This article is general information only, based on the UK government’s earned settlement policy announced on 2 November 2026. It is not legal or immigration advice. The new Immigration Rules have not yet been published, and details may change before implementation. Check GOV.UK and seek advice from a qualified immigration adviser before making a visa or settlement decision.