Will permanent residence in the UK change to 10 years? Latest developments in Earned Settlement

Last week, a reader sent us a message, and her hands were shaking: She was in the fourth year of her Skilled Worker visa, and was about to apply for permanent residence after one more year. Suddenly, she saw a short video saying "British permanent residence will be changed to 10 years." She asked: "Have I spent these five years in vain? Can I still apply according to the old rules now?"

This is probably the most anxious issue in the British and Chinese circles in the past six months. Today we will explain the real progress as of July 2026, which ones are "decided" and which ones are just "proposals" - without scaring people or reporting good or bad news.

Will 5 years of permanent residence in the UK become 10 years? What does the white paper say?

The cause is the White Paper "Restoring Control over the Immigration System" issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in May 2025. It proposes a major directional change: extending the standard qualifying residence period for applying for permanent residence (ILR/Indefinite Leave to Remain) from the current 5 years to 10 years .

Note that this is doubling the "standard line" and not everyone will survive the full 10 years. The government also launched a new concept - Earned Settlement (earned permanent residence) : For those who contribute more to society, the qualification period can be shortened. This logic changes "you can settle down if you live long enough" to "how much you do for the UK determines how quickly you can settle down".

Key reassurance: As of July 2026, this new set of regulations has not yet become law. The relevant consultation ended on February 12, 2026, and more than 200,000 responses were received. However, the government’s official response document has not yet been published, and the new Immigration Rules have not yet been submitted to Parliament. The current 5-year and 10-year settlement pathways will still operate as usual.

Earned Settlement: Who can get ILR in advance?

According to the current proposal, those who can extend the period by 10 years are mainly these types of "high-contribution" groups. The following numbers are the proposal version , which will be subject to the official announcement by the government:

💷 high-income group : If the annual salary exceeds £125,140 for 3 consecutive years, the qualifying period can be shortened by up to 7 years (equivalent to 3 years of settlement); if the annual salary exceeds £50,270 for 3 consecutive years, the qualifying period can be shortened by up to 5 years (back to approximately the 5-year line).

🏥 Public Service Practitioners : NHS People working in priority areas such as health care workers and teachers are expected to retain a path of 5 years or even shorter.

👨‍👩‍👧 Dependents of British citizens : spouses, children, etc. are also on the list expected to maintain a path of 5 years or less.

On the other hand, if you are a Skilled Worker with an ordinary salary and do not belong to a priority industry, then the "standard 10 years" is the risk point that needs to be paid attention to most. For most Chinese friends who have a work permit, this is the part that really affects their life plans.

For people who are already in the UK, will their visas be "retrospectively issued"?

This is the most heart-wrenching question. The government's position is: the new model is intended to apply to people who are "already in the UK but have not yet obtained permanent residence" - that is to say, it may not only apply to new arrivals, but may also be traced back to you and me who are queuing up.

But please remember the following two sentences:

① people who have already obtained ILR or permanent residence status will not be affected by . Once the identity is approved, it will not be revoked due to the new regulations.

② Pre-settled status holders under the EU Settlement Scheme are protected by the "Brexit Withdrawal Agreement" and are also not expected to be subject to this new set of regulations.

As for what to do with the people "on the road", that is the biggest suspense in the audience. Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Mike Tapp confirmed in a parliamentary debate on February 2, 2026: Retrospectivity and transitional arrangements are still under consideration. Translated into adult language, the government wants to change it, but it has not yet made a decision on how to provide the "old man's old method" and to what extent. This is also the current focus of the legal profession.

What should we do now before the British permanent residence policy is implemented?

Instead of worrying about watching short videos, it is better to do solid things that can be held in hand:

1. If it’s almost 5 years old, please send it as soon as possible. The rules have not changed yet, and you are still in the window of the old rules. Don’t miss the opportunity to apply according to the current 5-year path just because you “wait to see more clearly” – apply one day earlier and lock in your status one day earlier.

2. Accurately calculate the number of consecutive days of residence and departure. Regardless of whether it is 5 years or the next 10 years, the hard line of "no more than 180 days out of the country every 12 months" will most likely continue. Don’t rely on your head to remember your travel records over the years, as it’s easy to miss them. You can use 永居计算器 APP to accurately calculate each trip to the sky, and automatically check it over a rolling period of 12 months, so as not to lay waste to yourself.

3. Prepare hard conditions in advance. Life in the UK Test and English (currently mostly B1) are the threshold for most paths. Take the exam early and feel at ease early, and don’t wait for the policy to be implemented before you are in a hurry.

4. Calculate the money. From April 8, 2026, the ILR application fee is £3,226 per person (previously £3,029); expedited Priority £3,726, Super Priority £4,226. Each dependent who applies for permanent residence together must pay the full amount. There is no child or family discount, and ILR itself does not charge IHS.

To sum up in one sentence: 10-year permanent residence is still a "proposal", not a "reality" . Before the policy is announced, for those who meet the current five-year conditions, the sooner you act, the better. The actual launch date is likely to be around autumn 2026, but no binding date has been confirmed.

This article is for reference only. Cases vary greatly. Please consult a licensed immigration attorney before deciding on specific application strategies. If you are not sure which category you belong to and whether you want to submit before the new regulations, you can also add our lawyers to chat on WeChat.

Chat in the comment area · How many years are you counting down to your permanent residence?

What kind of visa do you have now and how many years have you been on it? If the 10-year new regulation is really implemented and there is no transitional protection, will you choose to submit it before the policy is released, or will you stay put? Tell us about your situation and plans in the comment area. We will select typical issues and analyze them in subsequent articles.