UK to double wait for permanent residency, with exemptions for care workers
Summary
The UK will extend the usual wait for permanent residency from five to 10 years for most foreign workers under rules planned to take effect next year. The changes include faster routes for some higher earners and exemptions for qualifying care workers, while refugees’ waiting periods will depend on how they entered the country and other conditions.Key Facts
- Most foreign workers will need to wait 10 years to qualify for permanent residency; the rules will also apply to workers already in the UK.
- Applicants earning more than £50,000 a year can apply after five years, while those earning more than £125,000 can apply after three years.
- Care workers can qualify after five years if they meet visa conditions and earn at least £25,000 a year.
- Refugees arriving through designated safe and legal routes can settle after five years; other refugees face a standard 20-year wait, shortened to 10 years for those who work or study.
- People who arrive by an “illegal method,” including by small boat, could wait up to 30 years to settle.
- Applicants can be disqualified for a criminal record, insufficient English, government debt or fewer than three years of national insurance contributions.
- The government estimates that up to 1.4 million people will receive settled status from 2026 to 2030, and says about half a million will settle later than they otherwise would have.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
