Skilled Worker settlement tracker · reviewed 17 August 2026
Skilled Worker ILR new rules: current route, future change and proposal
Skilled Worker settlement is often called a five-year route. That is a useful starting point, not a guaranteed result: application validity, qualifying residence, continuous residence, sponsorship, salary, English, Life in the UK and suitability must all be checked under the rules applying to the application. This page separates those current rules from a published 2027 English change and the still-unimplemented earned-settlement consultation.
Status board
| Topic | Status | Safe interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker settlement | In force | Use Appendix Skilled Worker. |
| Five-year qualifying provisions | In force | Check permitted route combinations and every grant of leave. |
| Sponsor, continuing need and salary | In force | Current evidence and rule wording matter at decision. |
| CEFR B2 English from 26 March 2027 | Published future change | Prepare if applying on/after that date; do not apply it early. |
| Earned Settlement ten-year model | Closed consultation/proposal | Not a current replacement for this route. |
What is in force today
GOV.UK says people with Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, T2 or Tier 2 leave may be able to settle after five years if they meet the rules. The sponsor in the most recent permission must remain approved on the decision date. The applicant must continue to be needed for the job and meet the applicable salary requirement after settlement, supported by employer confirmation. These are not matters that can be proved solely by an old Certificate of Sponsorship.
Salary and route history can be date-sensitive. The current appendix contains transitional provisions for certain cohorts, including wording connected to earlier grants and continuous Skilled Worker permission. Check occupation code, hours, guaranteed pay and the settlement salary rule rather than reusing an entry-visa threshold. Read SW 19 onwards, the current GOV.UK settlement guidance, Appendix Continuous Residence and all applicable suitability rules.
For continuous residence, the ordinary limit is normally 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period, subject to the rule’s exceptions. Make a trip-by-trip record with departure and arrival dates; an annual total or HR travel summary can miss a rolling-period problem.
English: announced, published, but not yet applicable
SW 22A.1 says that an application for Skilled Worker settlement made on or after 26 March 2027 requires English speaking and listening at least CEFR B2 unless exempt. This is an official future application-date trigger. It does not mean B2 applies in August 2026, nor does it show that all settlement routes use the same level. If your likely submission is close to that date, check Appendix English Language, evidence routes and exemptions before booking a test.
Earned Settlement: consultation is not legislation
The Home Office consultation published on 20 November 2025 proposed a standard ten-year settlement period with possible time adjustments for contribution and integration. It closed on 12 February 2026. That is a policy consultation, not an operative amendment to Appendix Skilled Worker. It does not give a current applicant an “earned settlement date”, automatically turn a five-year route into ten years, or settle the treatment of every existing grant cohort. Wait for any final policy response, Statement of Changes, commencement date and transitional provisions; until then, unknowns should remain unknown.
Timeline
| Date | Event | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Before 22 July 2025 | Some occupation rules have express date-linked transition arrangements. | Check current appendix. |
| 20 November 2025 | Earned Settlement consultation published. | Proposal. |
| 12 February 2026 | Consultation closed. | Not implementation. |
| 17 August 2026 | This review date. | Current route rules apply. |
| 26 March 2027 | B2 provision applies to applications on/after this date. | Future in force. |
Worked scenarios
Ravi, qualifying in December 2026: his five years, sponsor evidence and absences look compliant. He must still meet the current English, Life in the UK, salary and suitability requirements. The B2 future date has not arrived, and the earned-settlement consultation does not extend his period today.
Maya, applying in April 2027: she should plan for B2 unless an exemption applies, then verify her sponsor remains licensed and her current job and pay meet the settlement test. A five-year anniversary is necessary only if the full route test is also met.
Omar, changed employer: he maps each visa, sponsor, occupation and absence before checking SW 21.1 and transitions. “A sponsor change always resets the clock” and “all work visas combine” are both unreliable shortcuts.
Route impact and what to do now
| Issue | Action |
|---|---|
| Qualifying period | Check permitted categories and continuous leave. |
| Salary and job | Ask employer early for continuing-need, job and salary confirmation. |
| Absences | Test exact travel against rolling 12-month periods. |
| English | Use the rule for the application date; plan B2 for 26 March 2027 onwards. |
| Policy news | Monitor GOV.UK Statements of Changes, not social posts. |
- Build a grant, salary and sponsor timeline.
- Save primary-source rules with their update date.
- Complete Life in the UK and English evidence early.
- Obtain regulated advice for gaps, refusals or a close deadline.
Common misinformation
- “Skilled Worker ILR is already ten years” — false as current law.
- “Five years guarantees ILR” — false.
- “Priority service relaxes the rules” — false.
- “B2 applies now” — false; the appendix gives 26 March 2027.
- “All current holders are automatically protected or caught” — unconfirmed without transition text.
FAQ
Will my five years become ten?
Do not decide from a headline. Apply the current Skilled Worker rules until a future operative change says who it covers.
Can another work route count?
Only if the current qualifying-period rule permits it.
Does a closed consultation change eligibility?
No. It needs binding rule text and commencement provisions.
Reviewed 17 August 2026. Primary sources: Appendix Skilled Worker; GOV.UK Skilled Worker ILR guidance; Earned Settlement consultation.