Govt’s ILR announcement ‘good news’ for high earners

The government has proposed changes to earned settlement rules that will enable high earners who have migrated to the UK to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after three years.

Under the proposals, those earning over £125,141 a year and ‘highly skilled’ migrants, such as those on Global Talent or Innovator Founder visas, will be eligible for ILR after three years.

Meanwhile, people earning over £50,271 will qualify to apply for ILR after five years, alongside skilled public sector workers, and care workers earning at least £25,000.

The typical length of time migrants will need to live in the UK to qualify for ILR will be increased from five to 10 years, while those who have claimed certain benefits or broken immigration rules will have to wait 20 years.

Gherson Solicitors immigration partner, Lisa Uttley, said the statement from Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, on earned settlement was good news for high earners.

“Those paying the highest rate of tax, on earnings above £125,000, will be able to apply for ILR after just three years,” she explained.

“Applicants on the government's top talent schemes will get the same three-year route. A five-year path also stays open to anyone earning more than £50,000. Everyone else moves to a 10-year baseline.

“The detail still matters though. The government's formal response to the white paper consultation says that transitional arrangements will be set out in the upcoming Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules.

“That statement will fix the commencement date and say how far back any transitional protection goes.

“Until it is published, we do not know whether migrants who arrived before the white paper’s release in May 2025 will be able to use the faster pathway or whether only later arrivals will benefit.”

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