Skilled Worker ILR: Requirements & the 5-Year Route to Settlement

Researched and maintained by Howard Wilson, Editor · Reviewed against Appendix Skilled Worker and the Immigration Rules in force on 4 September 2026 · General information about UK settlement, not regulated immigration advice. For advice on your own case, use an adviser regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) or a solicitor.

Skilled Worker settlement normally requires 5 years of qualifying residence, continuous residence and ongoing sponsorship. The salary requirement is not one universal figure. The general row in SW 24.3 is £41,700 plus the applicable going rate, while lower settlement rows can apply to specified health, education, Immigration Salary List and pre-4 April 2024 cases. Check the row that matches your immigration history and occupation rather than relying on the headline threshold alone.

The Skilled Worker route to ILR

The Skilled Worker route, formerly Tier 2 General, is the UK’s main sponsored work route and can lead to settlement after 5 years. ILR removes the time limit on your stay and ends your dependence on a sponsor. The rules sit in Appendix Skilled Worker and Appendix Continuous Residence. Use the ILR calculator for timing, then verify the salary, sponsorship and other requirements separately.

The 5-year qualifying period and what counts

You need 5 years (60 months) of continuous lawful residence on the Skilled Worker route. Time on certain predecessor and related sponsored routes counts; time on study or post-study routes does not.

Source: UK Immigration Rules, Appendix Skilled Worker and Appendix Continuous Residence. If your time is spread across study and work routes, the continuous residence calculator can help you map it.

The Skilled Worker settlement salary test

The salary is checked again at settlement. Under the general row in SW 24.3, salary must normally be at least £41,700 a year and the applicable going rate. Other rows set lower amounts for specified applicants, including some people covered by pre-4 April 2024 provisions and certain health, education or listed occupations. Your sponsor must confirm the salary that will be paid for the foreseeable future.

Source: Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 24.1 to SW 24.4, and the published Skilled Worker going rates. The correct settlement row depends on the applicant’s route history and occupation.

Ongoing sponsorship and the employer letter

Unlike some routes, Skilled Worker settlement requires you to still be sponsored when you apply. You must be employed by a licensed sponsor in your sponsored role, and your employer must provide a letter confirming your current salary, job title and SOC code, and that they still need you in the role. If your sponsor has lost its licence, you have changed employer without updating your visa, or you are between jobs, your application may be at risk. Consider regulated advice before applying.

Other ILR requirements

Alongside time, salary and sponsorship, you must satisfy:

• The 180-day absence rule. No more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period across the 5 years. Model your travel with the absence calculator.
• English language. CEFR B1 for settlement, the ILR standard stayed at B1 even though first-time Skilled Worker applications moved to B2 in January 2026. Exemptions apply for majority English-speaking nationals, a degree taught in English, or age 65+.
• Life in the UK test, valid indefinitely and reused for citizenship.
• Good character and suitability under Part 9, declare convictions, cautions and any unpaid tax or NHS debt.

Dependants

A dependent partner normally needs 5 years in the UK as your dependent partner and must meet Appendix Continuous Residence. A dependent child’s settlement requirements are different and do not use the same 5-year qualifying-period test. Timing, relationship and care requirements can also affect whether family members apply with you or later. See the ILR for dependants guide and check the current rules for each applicant.

Earned settlement reform

The Skilled Worker route is the one most affected by the proposed settlement reforms. The 2025 White Paper, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, set out an “earned settlement” model that would extend the standard qualifying period to 10 years for many work routes, while letting very high earners (for example £125,140+ for three years) settle faster, and awarding points for salary, National Insurance contributions, public-service roles and community contribution.