Skilled Worker Visa ILR allows migrants to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK after completing the five-year Skilled Worker route. Migrants living in the UK under the Skilled Worker Visa may qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after completing a qualifying period of lawful residence.
ILR allows individuals to live and work in the United Kingdom permanently without immigration time limits.
For many Skilled Worker migrants, settlement is the final stage of their immigration journey before applying for British citizenship.
Applicants must meet strict requirements under the UK Immigration Rules, including residence, salary, sponsorship and knowledge of language and life in the UK.
👉 Indefinite Leave to Remain Guide
This guide explains:
• when Skilled Worker migrants can apply for ILR
• the residence and absence rules
• salary and sponsorship requirements
• the settlement application process
• common reasons Skilled Worker ILR applications are refused
Based on 1058+ Reviews on Trustpilot & Google
Most Skilled Worker migrants become eligible for settlement after completing five years of continuous lawful residence in the UK.
The five-year qualifying period can include time spent under:
Applicants may normally submit their settlement application up to 28 days before completing the five-year qualifying period.
Submitting the application earlier than this may result in refusal because the qualifying residence period has not yet been completed.
To qualify for settlement under the Skilled Worker route, applicants must normally demonstrate that they:
Applicants must also satisfy the suitability requirements under Part 9 of the Immigration Rules.
Applicants must normally demonstrate that they are paid a salary that meets both:
The Home Office will normally rely on the employer confirmation provided through the sponsorship system when assessing salary requirements.
Because salary thresholds can change, applicants should confirm that their salary still meets the relevant immigration requirements before submitting a settlement application.
Applicants must demonstrate continuous lawful residence in the UK throughout the five-year qualifying period.
Continuous residence generally means:
If continuous residence is broken, the qualifying period for settlement may restart. You can find detailed information in UKVI’s Calculating Continuous Period caseworker guidance.
The Immigration Rules normally require that applicants do not spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period within the qualifying residence period.
When assessing absences, the Home Office may review:
Applicants with extensive travel history should review their absences carefully before applying.
Most settlement applicants must meet the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK (KoLL) requirement. This requirement falls under the Immigration Rules Appendix KoLL.
This normally includes:
Applicants who previously met these requirements during their visa applications may already hold the necessary evidence.
Settlement applications under the Skilled Worker route are normally submitted using Form SET(O).
The application process generally includes:
Applicants must demonstrate that they continue to meet the Skilled Worker route requirements at the time of application submission.
If you want expert advice about the options available to you or if you are preparing your application and want access to First Migration's knowledge and experience, this is the service for you.
If you want to prepare your own application, why not take advantage of our Document and Application Review Service. Our specialist team can ensure your application is correctly prepared and all supporting documents meet the requirements for your application to be approved.
Our Full Consultancy Service is for clients looking for an end to end service where we take care of the full application process. We'll provide document lists and templates, complete the application forms and take care of everything else for you.
Our Priority Consultancy Service provides you with all the benefits of the Full Consultancy Service plus we will prepare and submit your application within 48 working hours of receiving all the supporting documents for your application.
Processing times depend on the service selected when submitting the application.
Typical processing options include:
Priority services are subject to availability.
The current Home Office fee for an ILR application is £3,226 per applicant (April 2026).
Additional costs may include:
Government fees are normally non-refundable, even if the application is refused.
Many clients choose First Migration for our history of excellent service and track record of success. However, we feel our greatest strength, and what makes us truly unique, is our small dedicated team that offers a truly personalised service. We genuinely love what we do, and our team relishes making a difference to the lives of our clients.
Applicants must submit documents confirming their eligibility for settlement.
Typical documents include:
Providing incorrect or incomplete documents is a common reason for refusal.
ILR applications may be refused if the applicant does not meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules.
Common refusal reasons include:
👉 Skilled Worker Visa Refusal Guide
Once ILR is granted, the individual may remain in the UK permanently.
ILR holders may:
After holding ILR for 12 months, many individuals become eligible to apply for British citizenship by naturalisation:
Most Skilled Worker migrants can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after completing five years of continuous lawful residence in the UK under the Skilled Worker route.
Yes. Time spent under the Tier 2 (General) visa normally counts towards the five-year qualifying period for settlement.
Applicants must normally be paid at least the salary threshold required for settlement and the going rate for their occupation code at the time the application is submitted.
Applicants must normally not spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period during the qualifying residence period.
Applicants normally apply using Form SET(O) when applying for settlement after the Skilled Worker Visa.
Yes. Applications may be refused if the applicant does not meet the salary, residence, sponsorship or documentation requirements.
Yes. Most applicants must pass the Life in the UK Test and meet the English language requirement before settlement can be granted.
Yes. Most migrants can apply for British citizenship after holding ILR for 12 months, provided they meet the naturalisation requirements.
Keep up to date with the latest news, insights and events
