ILR for Skilled Workers: Full Requirements 2026

ILR for Skilled Worker visa holders: overview

The Skilled Worker visa is the most common route to indefinite leave to remain in the UK. If you hold a Skilled Worker visa (or its predecessor, the Tier 2 General visa), you can apply for settlement after completing 5 continuous years in the UK. Indefinite leave to remain removes your visa restrictions permanently: no more sponsor requirements, no salary conditions, and no need to renew your visa every few years.

This guide focuses specifically on the eligibility requirements for Skilled Worker visa holders applying for indefinite leave to remain. It covers the 5-year qualifying period, the salary threshold, the absence rule, documents, employer changes, and the 2026 reform proposals that may affect when and how you can apply.

If you are new to the concept of settlement, read our guide to what ILR means first. For a broader step-by-step timeline covering the entire journey from Skilled Worker visa to settlement, see our Skilled Worker to ILR timeline guide. This guide goes deeper on the specific requirements and how to meet each one.

The rules for indefinite leave to remain are set out in the Immigration Rules and supporting Home Office guidance. They can change, and the salary thresholds in particular have been updated multiple times in recent years. Always verify the latest figures on GOV.UK or consult a regulated immigration adviser before you apply.

The 5-year qualifying period

The foundation of any Skilled Worker indefinite leave to remain application is the 5-year qualifying period. You must complete 5 continuous years of lawful residence on the Skilled Worker route before you are eligible to apply for settlement.

What counts toward the 5 years?

Both the Skilled Worker visa and the Tier 2 General visa count. The Tier 2 General visa was replaced by the Skilled Worker visa in December 2020, and the Home Office treats time on either route as part of the same qualifying path. If you spent 2 years on Tier 2 General and then switched to Skilled Worker, you only need 3 more years on the Skilled Worker visa to reach the 5-year threshold for indefinite leave to remain.

Time on other visa categories, such as a Student visa, Graduate visa, or Dependent visa, does not count toward the Skilled Worker qualifying period unless specific switching provisions apply. Your 5-year clock runs only on the Skilled Worker route itself.

When does the qualifying period start?

The qualifying period starts on the start date printed on your Biometric Residence Permit or visa vignette. This is not necessarily the date you entered the UK. If your visa started on 1 March but you arrived on 20 March, your qualifying period still starts on 1 March, but those 19 days before you entered the UK count as absence days.

This "late entry gap" is one of the most underappreciated traps for Skilled Worker visa holders. If you arrive significantly after your visa start date, those days immediately eat into your 180-day absence allowance for the first 12-month window. Enter the UK as close to your visa start date as possible.

Applying 28 days early

You do not have to wait until the exact 5-year anniversary. The Immigration Rules allow Skilled Worker visa holders to submit their indefinite leave to remain application up to 28 days before the 5-year qualifying period is complete. This window is useful for ensuring your application is in the system before your current visa expires.

Use the ILR Eligibility Calculator to find your exact earliest application date based on your visa start date and trip history.

Breaks in continuous residence

The qualifying period must be continuous. A single absence from the UK of more than 6 months can break your continuous residence and restart the clock. Losing your sponsorship, having your visa curtailed, or allowing your visa to lapse can all break continuity. If continuity is broken, you may need to restart the 5-year qualifying period from scratch.

Salary requirement for Skilled Worker ILR

The salary requirement for Skilled Worker indefinite leave to remain is assessed at the time you submit your application, not when your visa was originally granted. This is a critical distinction that catches many applicants off guard.

Going rate for your SOC code

Every Skilled Worker role is assigned a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code, and each code carries a "going rate": the minimum salary the Home Office considers appropriate for that occupation. Your salary at the point of your indefinite leave to remain application must meet or exceed the going rate for your current SOC code.

Going rates are published in Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules. They are reviewed periodically and have been updated multiple times in recent years. Always check the current figure for your specific SOC code before you apply.

The April 2024 threshold increase

In April 2024, the government raised the general Skilled Worker salary threshold significantly to £38,700 per year. This increase does not automatically apply to all existing Skilled Worker visa holders. Transitional protections may apply if your visa was granted before April 2024, meaning you may still be assessed against the lower threshold that was in place when your visa was issued.

However, transitional protections do not last indefinitely, and they depend on the specific circumstances of your visa grant. For detailed guidance on which threshold applies to you, read our ILR salary requirement guide.

Employer letter confirming current salary

Your employer must provide a letter confirming your current salary, job title, and SOC code at the time of your indefinite leave to remain application. This letter is a mandatory part of the Skilled Worker ILR application. It should also confirm that you remain employed in the sponsored role and that the employer continues to require you in that position.

Ask your HR department well in advance. The letter must be recent (ideally no older than a month at the time of submission) and must confirm all the required details. Vague or incomplete employer letters are a common source of delays and requests for further information.

What if your salary is below the threshold?

If your salary no longer meets the going rate for your SOC code, you have options. You can request a pay rise from your employer, change to a higher-paid role (with a new CoS), or check whether transitional protections apply. Do not submit an indefinite leave to remain application if your salary is below the threshold. Refusal at the ILR stage can affect future applications.

The 180-day absence rule for Skilled Workers

The 180-day absence rule is the requirement that catches the most Skilled Worker visa holders by surprise. You must not have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any rolling 12-month period during your 5-year qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain.

Rolling 12-month windows

The Home Office does not check a single fixed calendar year. Instead, it assesses every possible 12-month window across your entire qualifying period. Any window that shows more than 180 days of absence can be grounds for refusing your indefinite leave to remain application.

This rolling window approach means that two trips taken close together, even across a calendar year boundary, can both fall within the same 12-month window and push your total over the limit. For example, a 3-week trip in December followed by a 5-week trip in January could easily produce a 12-month window with more than 180 days of absence when combined with other trips from earlier in the year.

How absence days are counted

The day you depart the UK counts as an absence day. The day you return to the UK is a presence day and does not count as absence. So if you leave on 1 June and return on 15 June, you have 14 absence days (1 June through 14 June). This is the same counting method used across all indefinite leave to remain routes.

A late entry gap works the same way. If your visa started on 1 January but you entered the UK on 20 January, those 19 days (1 January to 19 January) are treated as absence days.

Checking your absence status

Manually calculating rolling windows across a 5-year qualifying period is complicated and error-prone. Use the ILR Absence Calculator to enter your trips and automatically check every rolling 12-month window. The calculator will flag any windows approaching or exceeding 180 days, and show you exactly how many safe travel days remain before your next trip.

For a full explanation of how the absence rule works, including worked examples and common mistakes, read our guide to the ILR absence rules.

Changing employers during your qualifying period

Skilled Worker visa holders can change employers during their qualifying period without losing time toward indefinite leave to remain. However, the change must be handled correctly to avoid a breach of your visa conditions.

The correct process for changing employers

When you move to a new employer, your new employer must hold a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence and must assign you a new Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). You must then apply to update your Skilled Worker visa using the new CoS before you start working for the new employer. You cannot begin the new role and apply retroactively.

Why the process matters for ILR

If you start working for a new employer without first updating your visa, you are working without authorisation. This is a breach of your Skilled Worker visa conditions. Even if you later correct the situation, the Home Office will be aware of the breach when they assess your indefinite leave to remain application. In serious cases, it can lead to refusal or curtailment of your visa. Always update your visa before starting with a new sponsor.

Time with previous employers still counts

Provided each employer change was handled correctly, time with previous employers contributes to your 5-year qualifying period. The clock does not reset when you change employers. The important condition is that there must be no gap in your sponsorship: your new CoS must be assigned and your visa updated so that your Skilled Worker status is continuous.

Gaps in sponsorship

A gap between your old sponsor withdrawing sponsorship and your new sponsor assigning a CoS can break your qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain. Plan employer changes carefully and ensure the CoS from your new employer is in place before any gap arises. If your sponsor unexpectedly withdraws your sponsorship, you typically have 60 days to find a new sponsor before your visa is curtailed.

Documents needed for Skilled Worker ILR

A successful Skilled Worker indefinite leave to remain application depends on thorough document preparation. Missing or inadequate evidence is one of the most common causes of delays, requests for further information, and refusals. Start gathering documents at least 3 months before you plan to apply.

Core documents

• Passport and previous passports: Your current passport must be valid. You also need all previous passports that cover your 5-year qualifying period. These provide stamp evidence of your UK residence and travel history.
• Current BRP: Your existing Biometric Residence Permit. You will surrender it as part of the application and receive new evidence of your indefinite leave to remain status once granted.
• Employer letter: A letter from your current employer confirming your job title, current salary, SOC code, start date with the company, and that you are still employed in the sponsored role. The letter should be on headed paper and signed by an authorised HR representative.
• Payslips: Ideally covering the full 5-year qualifying period. At a minimum, 12 months of payslips from your most recent employment. If you changed employers, include payslips from each employer.
• P60 certificates: One for each tax year in your qualifying period. These confirm your annual earnings and tax paid and provide additional evidence of continuous employment throughout the period.
• English language evidence: Your original SELT certificate, degree transcript from an English-taught course, or evidence of nationality from a majority English-speaking country. In most cases, the evidence used for your original Skilled Worker visa grant still applies.
• Life in the UK pass certificate: The official notification confirming you passed the Life in the UK test. Keep the unique reference number safely.
• Travel history evidence: Passport stamps from your qualifying period. If you used eGates and have no stamps, provide flight booking confirmations, boarding passes, and bank statements showing transactions that corroborate your travel dates. You can also request entry and exit records from the Home Office.

Use the ILR Document Checklist to track your document preparation and ensure nothing is missing before you submit.

The 2026 rule changes for Skilled Workers

The rules governing indefinite leave to remain for Skilled Worker visa holders may change significantly under reform proposals announced by the government. Understanding what is proposed and what it means for your timeline is important whether you are early in your qualifying period or close to applying.

The earned settlement system

The government has proposed replacing the fixed 5-year qualifying period with an "earned settlement" system. Under this model, the number of years required before a Skilled Worker visa holder can apply for indefinite leave to remain would no longer be a flat 5 years. Instead, it could range from 3 years at the fast track end to 10 years, depending on how many points a person accumulates through salary level, qualifications, tax contributions, and other factors.

This represents a fundamental shift in how settlement works for Skilled Worker visa holders and would affect both new applicants and, potentially, those already on the route.

Transitional protection for existing visa holders

The government has indicated that existing Skilled Worker visa holders may benefit from transitional arrangements that protect them from the most disruptive elements of the reform. The precise scope of transitional protection has not been finalised, and the legislation needed to implement the earned settlement system had not passed into law as of the date of this guide.

If you are close to the 5-year mark, applying under the current rules before any reform takes effect is worth considering. If you are early in your qualifying period, monitor developments closely.

What to do now

Use the ILR Reform Checker to see how the proposed earned settlement changes could affect your specific situation based on your visa start date, salary, and other factors. For a full explanation of the proposed reforms, read our ILR new rules guide for Skilled Workers.

How ILR Tracker helps Skilled Workers

The path from Skilled Worker visa to indefinite leave to remain spans 5 years of travel tracking, document gathering, salary monitoring, and shifting rules. ILR Tracker was built specifically to help Skilled Worker visa holders manage every aspect of this journey in one place.

Eligibility Calculator

Enter your visa start date to find your exact ILR eligibility date, including the 28-day early application window. The ILR Eligibility Calculator accounts for late entry gaps and visa category switches so you know exactly when you can first apply.

Absence Calculator

Log your trips and the ILR Absence Calculator checks every rolling 12-month window across your qualifying period. You see immediately whether any window is at risk, how many absence days you have used, and how many safe travel days remain before your next trip. No manual spreadsheet calculations required.

ILR Reform Checker

The proposed earned settlement reforms could extend or shorten your qualifying period compared to the current 5-year flat rule. The ILR Reform Checker models how the proposed changes apply to your specific circumstances as a Skilled Worker visa holder and shows your estimated settlement date under the new system.

Document Checklist

Track which documents you have prepared and which are still outstanding with the ILR Document Checklist. The checklist is specific to the Skilled Worker indefinite leave to remain application and includes every document the Home Office requires, from your employer letter and payslips to your Life in the UK pass certificate and travel history evidence.

All four tools are free to use without an account. Create a free ILR Tracker account to save your data, set reminders, and track your full application readiness score as you approach the 5-year mark.