Skilled Worker visa to ILR and British citizenship: every step
Today you can usually apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after 5 years on the Skilled Worker route, if you still earn enough, have not been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12 months, pass the Life in the UK test and meet the English requirement. You can then apply for British citizenship 12 months later.
What is changing
Under earned settlement, the standard wait for Skilled Workers is expected to become 10 years. It will be 5 years if you earned at least £50,271 in 3 of the last 5 years, 3 years if you earned at least £125,141 in 3 of the last 4 years, and 5 years for eligible health and education workers on national pay scales such as doctors, nurses and teachers. Care workers who entered or switched into the route before May 2025 keep a 5-year route if they meet the requirements. No start date has been set.
The route at a glance
Step 1 of 5
Skilled Worker visa
Work for a licensed sponsor in an eligible job at the required salary. Your partner and children can come as dependants.
- When
- Year 0
- English
- B2 for new Skilled Worker visas from 8 January 2026 (check GOV.UK for extensions)
- Cost
- Visa fee + health surcharge (£1,035 a year)
Step 2 of 5
Keep your absences low
For ILR you must not have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period (Appendix Continuous Residence). Track every trip.
- When
- Throughout the 5 years
Step 3 of 5
Indefinite leave to remain
Your sponsor must still employ you and you must meet the salary at settlement: £41,700 a year and the going rate for most people, with lower figures for some jobs (for example Immigration Salary List and national pay scale health or education jobs) and some people sponsored under older rules.
- When
- After 5 years (current rules)
- English
- B1 speaking and listening; B2 for applications on or after 26 March 2027
- Cost
- £3,226 + £50 Life in the UK test
Step 4 of 5
British citizenship
You need 5 years in the UK, no more than 450 days abroad in those 5 years and no more than 90 days in the last 12 months, plus good character.
- When
- 12 months after ILR (or straight away if married to a British citizen)
- English
- B1 (your ILR English usually counts)
- Cost
- £1,709 + £130 ceremony
Step 5 of 5
Ceremony and passport
Attend your citizenship ceremony, then apply for your first British passport.
- When
- After approval
- Cost
- £102 first adult passport (online)
You will need the Life in the UK test
767 free practice questions and 60 mock tests. No login, no paywall.
Frequently asked questions
How long until a Skilled Worker can get ILR?
Under the current rules, usually 5 years of continuous residence on the Skilled Worker route. The government has confirmed it plans to move the standard wait to 10 years under earned settlement, with 5 or 3 years for higher earners and 5 years for some health and education workers, but no start date has been set.
What salary do I need for Skilled Worker ILR?
For most people, at least £41,700 a year and the going rate for the job (Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 24.3). Lower general salaries apply in some cases, for example £33,400 for some Immigration Salary List jobs and £25,000 for some health and education jobs or people sponsored under older Tier 2 rules.
What is the absence limit for Skilled Worker ILR?
No more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period during the 5 years, unless an exception in Appendix Continuous Residence applies.
Do Skilled Workers need B2 English for ILR?
For ILR applications made on or after 26 March 2027, yes: B2 speaking and listening. Before that date, B1 is enough.
Will the 10-year rule apply to people already on a Skilled Worker visa?
The government says being in the UK does not give an automatic right to settle under the old rules, and transitional protection is limited to specific groups, such as care workers who entered before May 2025. Exact rules for people part-way through the route will be set out before implementation.
Rules this tool uses
- ILR after 5 years (SW 21.1) with continuous residence under Appendix Continuous Residence (180 days in any 12 months)
- Salary at settlement £41,700 and going rate for most (SW 24.3)
- English B2 for ILR applications on or after 26 March 2027 (SW 22A.1)
- Earned settlement: government response, November 2026 (no commencement date yet)
- GOV.UK: Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker
- GOV.UK: Appendix Continuous Residence
- GOV.UK: Earned settlement government response
Checked against GOV.UK: November 2026.
This is a free guide, not legal advice, and we are not linked to the Home Office. Rules and fees can change. Always check GOV.UK before you apply. For complex cases, speak to a regulated immigration adviser.