Tier 2 Visa to ILR: Does Your Time Count? (2026 Guide)

Tier 2 visa and indefinite leave to remain

If you came to the UK on a Tier 2 (General) visa before December 2020, you may be wondering whether your time on that visa counts toward the 5-year qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain. The answer is yes, fully and completely.

Tier 2 (General) was the predecessor to the Skilled Worker visa. In December 2020, the Points-Based System was reformed and Tier 2 (General) was replaced by the Skilled Worker visa. Existing Tier 2 holders who were employed in the UK at the time of the transition had their visas automatically treated as equivalent to Skilled Worker visas. For indefinite leave to remain purposes, the Home Office treats Tier 2 and Skilled Worker as a single continuous route.

This guide explains everything a former Tier 2 visa holder needs to know about applying for indefinite leave to remain, including the 2020 transition, how to calculate your qualifying period, the salary requirements that apply at the time of your application, the specific documents you need, and the common pitfalls that catch Tier 2 holders out when applying for indefinite leave to remain.

For a broader overview of the Skilled Worker route to indefinite leave to remain, which now covers all Tier 2 holders who have transitioned, see our Skilled Worker to ILR guide. For general indefinite leave to remain application guidance, see our ILR Application Guide.

Does Tier 2 time count toward ILR?

Yes. Time spent in the UK on a Tier 2 (General) visa counts fully and directly toward the 5-year qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain. This is not an informal concession or a transitional arrangement; it is embedded in the Immigration Rules.

Official policy

The Home Office Immigration Rules and associated guidance make clear that the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain for Skilled Worker visa holders (and those who transitioned from Tier 2) is calculated from the date the applicant was first granted leave under the Tier 2 General or Skilled Worker route, whichever came first. The two routes are treated as a single continuous pathway to settlement for indefinite leave to remain purposes.

This means there is no penalty for having started your working life in the UK under Tier 2 rather than the newer Skilled Worker visa. Your qualifying period is calculated from your original Tier 2 visa start date, subject to the standard absence and continuity rules.

No gap in counting

When the December 2020 transition happened, Tier 2 holders did not need to do anything special to preserve their qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain. The Home Office system automatically recognised the continuity between Tier 2 and Skilled Worker. There is no gap or break in the qualifying period caused by the transition itself.

The only thing that can disrupt the continuity of your qualifying period is an actual break in your leave (a period without a valid visa), exceeding the 180-day absence limit in a rolling 12-month period, or other compliance failures. The mere fact that the visa category name changed from Tier 2 to Skilled Worker is not a break.

Tier 2 to Skilled Worker: the 2020 transition

Understanding what happened in December 2020 is important for Tier 2 holders calculating their qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain and gathering the right documents.

What changed in December 2020

On 1 December 2020, the UK government replaced the Tier 2 route with the new Skilled Worker route as part of the post-Brexit Points-Based System. The key changes were:

• The visa category was renamed from Tier 2 (General) to Skilled Worker
• The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) system was retained but with updated processes
• Salary thresholds were revised, with the general threshold ultimately rising significantly in later years
• The English language requirement remained but was integrated into the new points system
• New eligible occupation codes were listed using the updated SOC 2020 standard

Automatic conversion for existing Tier 2 holders

Existing Tier 2 (General) visa holders who were in the UK at the time of the December 2020 transition did not need to apply for a new visa. Their leave continued on the same terms until the expiry date on their existing visa or BRP. When they subsequently needed to extend their stay or change employer, they would apply under the new Skilled Worker rules.

This means that many people who came to the UK in 2018 or 2019 on Tier 2 visas have a qualifying period that started under Tier 2, continued through the December 2020 transition with no formal change, and may have later involved one or more Skilled Worker visa extensions or employer changes.

What changed for your indefinite leave to remain application

For indefinite leave to remain applications, the most significant consequence of the 2020 transition is the change in salary thresholds. Tier 2 had its own salary thresholds, which were replaced by the Skilled Worker thresholds in December 2020. These thresholds have been revised upwards several times since then.

When you apply for indefinite leave to remain, your salary is assessed against the current Skilled Worker going rate for your SOC code, not against the Tier 2 threshold that applied when you were first sponsored. This is explained in detail in the salary requirement section below.

ILR eligibility for Tier 2 holders

The eligibility criteria for indefinite leave to remain for Tier 2 holders are the same as those for Skilled Worker visa holders, with a few practical differences in how the qualifying period is calculated.

The 5-year rule

You must have 5 years of continuous lawful residence in the UK on the Tier 2 General or Skilled Worker route (or a combination of both) to be eligible for indefinite leave to remain. The 5 years is measured from the date your leave to enter the UK began under Tier 2 or Skilled Worker, not from the date your visa was issued.

For most people, the start date for indefinite leave to remain eligibility is the date they first arrived in the UK on their Tier 2 visa. If you arrived in the UK on a different date from when your visa was issued (for example, your visa was issued in January but you entered the UK in March), your qualifying period starts from the March entry date, not the January issue date.

Absence rule: same 180-day limit

The absence rule for Tier 2 holders applying for indefinite leave to remain is the same as for all other Skilled Worker or work route applicants: you must not have exceeded 180 days of absence in any rolling 12-month period during your qualifying period. This rule applies across your entire 5-year qualifying period, including the Tier 2 portion.

Use our ILR Eligibility Calculator to find your exact qualifying date and your earliest application date (28 days before qualifying). For tracking your absences, the ILR Absence Calculator allows you to log every trip and check every rolling 12-month window.

Continuous lawful leave

Your qualifying period must be entirely continuous. Any gap in your lawful leave (a period where your visa had expired and you did not have valid leave, or had not yet received a decision on an in-time extension application) breaks your continuous residence. For Tier 2 holders who have transitioned to Skilled Worker and then applied for further extensions, it is important to verify that every extension was applied for and granted in time and that there are no gaps in the visa history.

Salary requirement at time of ILR application

The salary requirement for indefinite leave to remain is one of the most important, and most misunderstood, aspects of the application for former Tier 2 holders. Understanding it correctly can prevent a costly refusal.

You are assessed on current thresholds, not original Tier 2 thresholds

When you apply for indefinite leave to remain, the Home Office assesses your current salary against the current going rate for your Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code as set out in the Immigration Rules at the time of your application. It does not matter what the salary threshold was when your original Tier 2 visa was granted, or what it was when you first transitioned to Skilled Worker.

This is the aspect of the Tier 2 to indefinite leave to remain journey that catches the most people off guard. Salary thresholds have risen considerably since the early days of Tier 2, particularly following the April 2024 reforms which raised the general threshold to £38,700 and revised going rates across many SOC codes. If you started on Tier 2 at a salary that met the threshold then, it is critical to check whether your current salary still meets the current going rate for your SOC code.

How to check the going rate for your SOC code

The current going rates for all SOC codes used in the Skilled Worker route are published by the Home Office as part of the Immigration Rules. You can find the relevant appendices on GOV.UK. Your SOC code will be on your Certificate of Sponsorship or on any recent visa grant letter. Match your SOC code to the current going rate in the published tables and verify that your current salary meets or exceeds that rate.

For a detailed guide to checking your salary against the current thresholds and understanding transitional arrangements, see our ILR Salary Requirement guide.

What counts as salary for ILR purposes

For indefinite leave to remain purposes, your salary is your basic gross annual salary as confirmed in your Certificate of Sponsorship and your employment contract. The following are generally counted:

• Basic gross annual salary as per your contract
• Guaranteed allowances that are part of your employment contract (for example, guaranteed London weighting)

The following are generally not counted toward the salary threshold for indefinite leave to remain:

• Discretionary bonuses
• Overtime payments
• Benefits in kind (such as health insurance, company car, pension contributions)
• Payments that are not guaranteed as part of the employment contract

Documents specific to Tier 2 holders

When applying for indefinite leave to remain after a period on Tier 2, you need to provide documents covering your entire qualifying period, including the Tier 2 portion. This is in addition to all the standard indefinite leave to remain documents described in our ILR Documents Required guide.

Old Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number

Your original Tier 2 CoS reference number was assigned when your Tier 2 sponsor issued you a Certificate of Sponsorship. This number appears on your Tier 2 visa grant letter and your original CoS document. Include this reference in your indefinite leave to remain application as evidence of your original sponsored employment. If you have had multiple CoS references during your qualifying period (for example, after changing employers or roles), include all of them.

BRP card from the Tier 2 period

If you held a BRP card during your Tier 2 period, include a copy of both sides. The Tier 2 BRP provides evidence of the visa category and dates of your leave during that period. If you have since renewed your passport or received a new BRP under Skilled Worker, keep your old Tier 2 BRP as part of your document package for the indefinite leave to remain application. If you have lost it, note this and provide alternative evidence of the Tier 2 leave period (such as the original visa vignette in an old passport).

Payslips going back to Tier 2 start

While the minimum payslip requirement for indefinite leave to remain is typically the last 12 months, for Tier 2 holders with a full 5-year qualifying period, it is strongly advisable to provide payslips going back as far as possible, especially if you have changed employer during the qualifying period. A complete payslip history from your Tier 2 start date demonstrates the continuous employment required for indefinite leave to remain and removes any question about gaps.

If you have gaps in your payslip records from the Tier 2 period (for example, because your employer's payroll system no longer retains older records), obtain a letter from that employer confirming your employment dates and salary during that period, or obtain equivalent HMRC records from your personal tax account.

P60 forms from Tier 2 employment years

P60 forms provide an annual summary of your earnings and are issued by employers at the end of each tax year. For your indefinite leave to remain application, the most recent P60 is the primary one needed, but having P60s from earlier in your qualifying period (including the Tier 2 years) is useful supporting evidence. Many applicants choose to include the last three P60s to show a clean earnings history across the full period.

Common issues for Tier 2 to ILR applicants

Several specific issues arise more commonly for Tier 2 holders applying for indefinite leave to remain than for people who have been on Skilled Worker throughout their qualifying period. Being aware of these in advance allows you to address them proactively.

Issue 1: Salary threshold changes catching applicants out

As noted above, the most common issue for former Tier 2 holders is that their salary, which met the Tier 2 threshold when they were originally sponsored, no longer meets the current going rate for their SOC code at the time of their indefinite leave to remain application. This has become more acute following the significant salary threshold increases of April 2024.

If your salary does not meet the current going rate, you have several options. You could negotiate a salary increase with your employer before submitting your indefinite leave to remain application. You could check whether your role has been recategorised under a different SOC code with a lower going rate. You could also seek legal advice on whether any transitional arrangements apply to your circumstances.

Issue 2: SOC code changes between Tier 2 and Skilled Worker

The Standard Occupational Classification codes used for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship were updated in 2020 from SOC 2010 to SOC 2020. Some roles that existed under Tier 2 at one SOC code were mapped to a different code under Skilled Worker. If your employer assigned you a different SOC code when you transitioned to Skilled Worker, your going rate may have changed. For indefinite leave to remain purposes, your current SOC code (the one on your most recent CoS) is what matters.

Issue 3: Employer or job changes during the qualifying period

Changing employer during your 5-year qualifying period is permitted on both Tier 2 and Skilled Worker, but it creates complexity in your indefinite leave to remain application. For each employer change, you must show that:

• A new CoS was assigned by the new employer before you started working there
• Your visa was updated or a new extension applied for and granted in time
• There was no gap between leaving one employer and starting with the new one that was not covered by a valid CoS and valid leave

Multiple employer changes create a longer documentary chain and require more thorough evidence for the indefinite leave to remain application. If you have had three or four employers over your qualifying period, you may wish to consider seeking professional help to ensure your application is clearly presented and complete.

Issue 4: Absence records spanning multiple passports

Many Tier 2 holders who are now applying for indefinite leave to remain in 2024 to 2026 have been in the UK for 5 or more years and may have renewed their passport during that time. Passport renewals mean that travel records (entry and exit stamps) are spread across multiple passports. All of these passports must be submitted with your indefinite leave to remain application. Ensure you have located and copied all passports held during your qualifying period before submitting.

Issue 5: Gaps in payslip records from early Tier 2 employment

Payslips from employment 4 or 5 years ago can be difficult to retrieve, especially if you have changed employer, if your employer uses a payroll portal that does not retain older records, or if you did not save copies at the time. For indefinite leave to remain purposes, start gathering historical payslips well in advance of your application date. If you cannot retrieve specific months, contact your employer's HR or payroll team for historical payroll records, or request an employment history summary from them.

For a full checklist of every document needed for your indefinite leave to remain application, including those specific to your Tier 2 history, see our ILR Documents Required guide. You can also check your eligibility and key dates with our ILR Eligibility Calculator, and review current salary requirements in our ILR Salary Requirement guide. For a complete overview of the Skilled Worker route to indefinite leave to remain, see our Skilled Worker to ILR guide.