High earners get fast-track UK residency under new rules
The United Kingdom has announced the largest overhaul of its legal migration and settlement system in nearly five decades, introducing stricter timelines and new contribution-based requirements for migrants seeking long-term residency, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The Home Office said the reform is intended to shift the system toward rewarding migrants who work, integrate, and contribute, while tightening access for those who rely on public benefits or breach visa conditions. The measures follow recent steps aimed at reducing illegal migration and reshaping the profile of new arrivals.
According to the government, the standard qualifying period for permanent settlement will be doubled to 10 years, with longer waiting times for certain categories. Migrants who rely on benefits may face a 20-year period before becoming eligible, while illegal migrants and visa overstayers could wait up to 30 years. The new framework will apply to those who arrived in the UK from 2021, pending consultations on transitional arrangements.
Low-paid workers, including the more than 600,000 people who entered through the health and social care visa route between 2022 and 2024, would follow a 15-year baseline. The government previously closed this route, citing widespread misuse. In contrast, skilled workers in the National Health Service, such as doctors and nurses, will retain a five-year pathway to settlement.
The government said it intends to reserve faster routes for high earners, entrepreneurs, and those in designated talent programs, who may qualify in as little as three years. Immediate family members of UK citizens and Hong Kong BN(O) status holders will keep the existing five-year process.
New conditions will feature more rigorous checks on criminal records and English proficiency. Migrants who make full national insurance contributions over a decade would qualify under the standard pathway, while higher-rate taxpayers could see reduced waiting times. Additional reductions may be offered for migrants who demonstrate strong integration, including community participation.
The Home Secretary said the approach is designed to create a system built on “character, integration, contribution and residence.” The government added that details for migrants already in the UK but not yet eligible for settlement will be finalized after public consultation.
Another significant proposal would limit access to most public benefits and social housing to British citizens rather than all settled migrants, marking a major change from current policy. The government said recognized refugees will still have access to public funds, although they will also be subject to a 20-year settlement period.
The Earned Settlement model is part of a broader Immigration White Paper that aims to manage migration levels, respond to increased arrivals in recent years, and create what officials describe as a more selective settlement system across Europe.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that nearly 110,000 people had taken to the streets of London in September for a self-described “Unite the Kingdom” march protesting immigration.
