The Government’s earned settlement proposals

Home Services Immigration The Government’s earned settlement proposals

The Government’s earned settlement proposals are likely to lead to significant changes in the law which will affect most migrants in the UK.

Under the current rules, most people can apply for ILR after a 5-year qualifying period. The November 2025 earned settlement proposals include doubling the standard qualifying period from 5 years to 10 years.

There will also be new mandatory requirements as well as criteria which can accelerate or delay the standard qualifying period. Of course this will be a huge change for migrants, their families, and for employers.

For further information please read our frequently asked questions on the earned settlement proposals.

How can an immigration lawyer help in relation to the earned settlement proposals?

Our immigration team is actively engaged in advising individuals and employers in relation to the earned settlement proposals. We can help you to understand the proposals and how they may affect you, your family, your business, and your staff.

It may be that you are thinking of applying for ILR and want to apply before the rules change. It could also be that you are interested in applying to become British. We can advise you on how best to navigate the changes.

Our team can help employers to submit applications for their staff, which for example could include ILR applications for staff with Skilled Worker visas. We can help you to plan and budget for the changes. We can also collaborate with our employment team in relation to any overlapping employment and immigration issues.

We are actively involved in advising on legal challenges to the earned settlement proposals and are uniquely placed to do this with our leading public law team. For anyone interested in challenging the proposals, please contact us.