UK overhauls settlement rules with exemptions for eight categories
The British government has raised the default settlement wait to ten years while keeping shorter routes for healthcare staff and high earners.
The UK Home Office has announced sweeping reforms to its immigration settlement rules, ending the near-automatic five-year pathway to indefinite leave to remain. Under the new contribution-based system, the standard waiting period will double to ten years, affecting around 500,000 migrants.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told Parliament that permanent residency must be earned through direct contributions rather than granted routinely. However, eight categories have been exempted from the decade-long wait to protect essential public services and attract top global talent.
Top earners will be eligible to apply after three years. Those earning above £50,271 annually, along with doctors, nurses, teachers, and qualifying care workers earning at least £25,000, can still settle after five years, offering reassurance to thousands of skilled workers across Britain.
Source: Yen News