New British permanent residence policy 2026: 10-year starting point + earning system + English B2, 3 major changes that Chinese people in the UK must read
On March 5, 2026, the British Home Office issued a new round of immigration law amendments (Statement of Changes HC 1691), marking the most profound change in the British permanent residence system in recent years. If you are planning to settle permanently via Skilled Worker, Spouse Visa or BN(O) pathways, everything in this article is relevant to you.
More importantly: these changes will apply to all Chinese in the UK who have not yet obtained permanent residence, even if you have lived in the UK for several years and originally planned to apply in 2026 or 2027. The government will not take back the permanent residence status that has been granted, but for applicants who are "still on the way", the rules of the game have been rewritten.
📌 Change 1: The basic period of permanent residence is extended from 5 years to 10 years
The British government has announced that it will increase the basic waiting period for permanent residence (ILR) for most immigration routes from 5 years to 10 years. This means that if you do not meet the "acceleration conditions" (detailed below), you need to have legally lived in the UK for 10 years before you can submit an application for permanent residence.
partial exemption groups: BN(O) visa holders, spouses and dependents of British citizens, EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status holders and Windrush program applicants will not be affected. However, applicants for Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder and other work visa pathways will face a 10-year waiting period if they do not meet the "contribution acceleration" criteria.
💡 The actual impact of : A Chinese engineer who entered the country with a Skilled Worker visa in 2023 originally planned to apply for permanent residence in 2028, but now he may have to wait until 2033 - unless he meets the accelerated conditions for "earning permanent residence".
⚖️ Change 2: Introducing the "earning-based" permanent residence model (Earned Settlement)
Permanent residence will no longer be automatically granted after a fixed number of years, but will need to be "earned" through continued good conduct, financial contribution and integration performance. The government is conducting a public consultation on how to reform the current permanent residence system and how it will be implemented. The consultation ended in February 2026 and received more than 200,000 responses.
New "must meet" conditions:
Applicants must have a clean criminal record, speak English to a high standard, make a sustained and measurable financial contribution and be debt-free in the UK. Specifically:
- No criminal record: If "no criminal convictions" were to be interpreted strictly literally, this would be more stringent than the current rules (which typically provide for sentences of 12 months or more).
- financial contribution: annual income needs to exceed £12,570 for at least 3 to 5 years, or meet the alternative income standard; maternity leave or long-term illness/disability are exempt.
- English proficiency: needs to meet the B2 level (replacing the current B1 standard). This requirement has been incorporated into immigration regulations and will take effect in March 2027.
How to "accelerate" permanent residence?
The government has proposed a "contribution-based permanent residence model" that allows eligible people to shorten the waiting period by meeting certain criteria (such as reaching a certain salary threshold, not applying for benefits, being fluent in English, having no criminal record, participating in voluntary services, etc.). However, as of May 4, 2026, the specific "points rules" and "acceleration period" have not yet been announced, and it is expected to officially take effect within the year after the government responds to the consultation.
⚠️ Key risks: Once the new regulations take effect, even if you have lived in the UK for 4 years and originally planned to submit for permanent residence next year, you must meet the new "earning system" requirements - including higher English proficiency, proof of financial contribution, etc. This is not a "grandfather clause" exemption, but a real new threshold.
📝 Change 3: The English requirement for permanent residence is raised from B1 to B2 (effective in March 2027)
Among the changes to immigration regulations released on March 5, 2026, one of the measures for the permanent residence stage is: from March 2027, you will need to pass an English test to obtain the immigration path for permanent residence, and the required language level will be raised from B1 to B2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).
From March 26, 2027, the English requirement for permanent residence applications for multiple visa categories, including Skilled Worker, will increase from B1 to B2. This change applies to all permanent residence applicants, including British citizens and family members of settled persons, and applies to applicants who are already on the permanent residence pathway. The revised English requirements will be implemented during the permanent residence stage; the delay to March 2027 is to allow applicants time to comply.
B1 vs B2: How big is the difference?
- B1 (current standard): can deal with common situations in daily work and life and understand the main points of familiar topics.
- B2 (New Standard): can understand the gist of complex texts, interact with native speakers fluently and naturally, express opinions and demonstrate positions clearly and in detail.
This means that if your English level just reaches the passing line of Life in the UK Test + B1, you need to significantly improve your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills before March 2027, or submit your permanent residence application as soon as possible before March 26, 2027 (provided that all other conditions are met).
💡 Practical advice: If you plan to submit for permanent residence in 2027 or later, you should start preparing for B2 level English exams (such as IELTS Life Skills B2, Trinity GESE Grade 7-9 and other recognized exams) now. Don’t wait until it’s close to submission to find out your language skills are insufficient.
🧮Other policy adjustments that take effect simultaneously
1. The path to permanent residence for refugees has been significantly extended
Refugees who apply for asylum or submit further materials from March 2, 2026, will have their immigration permission reduced to 30 months (replacing the previous 5 years). The change itself does not modify the core requirements for permanent residence, but the shorter initial grant period changes the practical path; individuals granted protected status from March 2026 will generally need to obtain further permission to reach the five-year eligibility period for permanent residence.
2. The threshold for rejecting visas with criminal records is lowered
From 26 March 2026, UK immigration regulations will enforce the refusal or cancellation of entry or leave to remain for anyone convicted of a crime in the UK and sentenced to a suspended sentence of 12 months or more. People convicted of a criminal offense in the UK and sentenced to a suspended sentence of 12 months or more face mandatory refusal or cancellation of their entry or leave to remain. This means that even a suspended sentence may directly affect your permanent residence application or even your existing visa.
3. Permanent residence application fee (reference)
According to the official fee schedule for November 2024, the application fee for permanent residence is £3,226 per person. As of May 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs has not announced a new round of price increase plans, but historically, permanent residence fees have been adjusted every year. It is recommended that the latest announcement from GOV.UK shall prevail. Super Priority (24-hour expedited) and other service fees are additional. For details, please check the official page or consult a licensed lawyer.
💡What should Chinese people do in the UK?
① If you plan to apply for permanent residence before March 2027: confirm as soon as possible whether you meet all the current conditions of 5-year continuous residence, 180-day exit rule, Life in the UK Test + B1 English, etc. If you can submit it before March 26, 2027, you can lock in the B1 English standard.
② If you have lived in the UK for less than 5 years: pay close attention to the government’s final policy details on the “earning-based permanent residence” (expected to be announced in 2026). Plan in advance how to meet the "acceleration conditions" - such as maintaining an annual income above the threshold, participating in volunteer services, and avoiding any criminal records (including traffic fines, etc.).
③ Accurately calculate the number of days you have left the country: In the permanent residence application, the calculation of the number of days you have left the country is accurate to every day. If you leave the country for more than 180 days in a rolling 12-month period, your continuous residence period may be cleared directly. You can use 永居计算器APP (https://justiscript.com/ilr) to automatically track each entry and exit record to avoid visa rejection due to miscalculation of days.
④ If you have any questions, consult a licensed attorney as soon as possible: The details of the new policy are complicated and are still being updated. If you are not sure whether you are exempted, how to satisfy the "contribution points", or which English test to choose, it is recommended to consult a professional immigration lawyer (you can contact our lawyer on WeChat uklvshi or email [email protected]).
⚖️ Disclaimer: This article is for reference only and does not constitute legal advice. British immigration regulations change frequently. For specific information, please refer to the latest announcement on the GOV.UK official website, or consult a licensed immigration lawyer.
🔗 Data source
- GOV.UK - Statement of Changes HC 1691 (5 March 2026): official link
- GOV.UK - Earned Settlement Consultation: official link
- House of Commons Library - Changes to UK visa and settlement rules: Official link
💬 Interactive topic: In which year did you originally plan to apply for permanent residence? Will this new policy affect your time planning? Welcome to share your situation in the comment area and share coping strategies together 👇
📚 Data source
·https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/earned-settlement