ILR for Skilled Workers 2026: Requirements, Fees, Timeline

You can usually apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after 5 years on a Skilled Worker visa. To qualify, you must have kept within the 180-day absence limit, still be paid at the required salary, have an employer who confirms they still need you, and have passed the Life in the UK Test. The fee is £3,226 per person, and GOV.UK says a decision usually takes up to 6 months.

This guide sets out the ILR requirements, costs and timeline as currently published on GOV.UK (checked 28 October 2026). It also covers the policy change that could affect all of it.

ILR requirements for Skilled Worker visa holders

GOV.UK lists three core eligibility requirements. You must:

1. have lived and worked in the UK for 5 years, following the rules on what counts;
2. meet the salary requirements; and
3. continue to be needed for your job after you get ILR. Your sponsor provides a document confirming this.

You also need to pass the Life in the UK Test if you are aged 18 to 64.

What counts towards the 5 years?

You can combine time on any of these visas:

• any Tier 1 visa, except Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur)
• Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker or Tier 2 (General)
• Scale-up Worker
• T2 or Tier 2 Minister of Religion
• International Sportsperson, T2 or Tier 2 Sportsperson
• Innovator Founder
• Global Talent
• Representative of an Overseas Business

Two things don’t count. Time spent as a dependant (a partner or child on someone else’s visa) is excluded, and the Graduate visa is not on the list. If you switched from a Graduate visa to Skilled Worker, your 5 years normally start from the Skilled Worker grant.

The 180-day rule

GOV.UK says you must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. This is a rolling test, so check every 12-month window, not just calendar years. If you think you might be close, the Home Office publishes guidance on calculating continuous residence. That is a good point to get qualified advice.

ILR salary requirements

You will usually need to be paid at least the higher of £41,700 a year or the standard going rate for your occupation code. GOV.UK gives an example: a salary of £42,000 fails if the going rate for the job is £45,000.

Lower thresholds apply in some cases:

Your situation	Minimum salary for ILR (per GOV.UK)
Standard Skilled Worker	The higher of £41,700 or the standard going rate
First Skilled Worker (or equivalent) CoS was before 4 April 2024, with Skilled Worker visas held continuously since	The higher of £31,300 or the “lower going rate”
Job on the Immigration Salary List (now or when you applied)	£33,400 or the standard going rate (as worded on GOV.UK)
Certain healthcare and education jobs	The higher of £25,000 or the national pay scale rate

For tech workers, the going rate usually decides it. A software developer (code 2134) has a standard going rate of £54,700. See our IT salary thresholds breakdown for other codes.

ILR fees and decision times

Item	Cost
ILR application fee	£3,226 per person
Priority service (optional, if offered)	+£500 per person
Super priority service (optional, if offered)	+£1,000 per person
Life in the UK Test	£50 per person who needs it
Biometrics at UKVCAS	No fee
Immigration health surcharge	Not payable on ILR applications

So a couple applying together, both taking the Life in the UK Test, would pay £6,552 in Home Office and test fees before any priority service (2 × £3,226 + 2 × £50). That assumes the partner is eligible to apply at the same time.

How long does ILR take? GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 6 months of providing your fingerprints and photo. On faster decisions, GOV.UK’s pages are not fully consistent. The Skilled Worker ILR guide says priority gives a decision within 5 working days. The general faster-decision page says settlement applications using priority “usually take 30 working days”. Super priority is described as the end of the next working day after a weekday appointment, or 2 working days after a weekend appointment. You will be told what is available, and the timescale, when you apply.

While your application is pending, you must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. If you do, your application will be withdrawn.

The Life in the UK Test

If you are 18 to 64, you need to pass the Life in the UK Test before applying. From GOV.UK:

• It costs £50, and you must book at least 3 days in advance.
• It has 24 questions about British traditions and customs, and you have 45 minutes.
• You need to score 75% or more to pass.
• When you pass, you get a unique reference number, which you use in your ILR application.

As the main Skilled Worker applicant, you don’t need to prove your English again, because you did that for your visa.

Bringing your partner and children

You can include your partner and children on the same application if they are eligible, or they can apply later.

• Partners must have lived in the UK with you as your dependant for at least 5 continuous years. If they are 18 to 64, they must pass the Life in the UK Test and meet the English language requirement.
• Children can usually be included if they are your dependant and both parents are applying to settle or are already settled. Children aged 18 or over must also meet extra conditions, including the Life in the UK Test and English.

GOV.UK notes that family members who are not yet eligible can keep extending as your dependants even after you get ILR.

When to apply: a simple timeline

1. Year 4: check your absences and salary history, and confirm your employer will provide the “still needed” document.
2. About 3 months before your 5-year date: book and pass the Life in the UK Test.
3. 28 days before you reach 5 years: the earliest date you can apply. Applying earlier risks refusal.
4. Before your visa expires: GOV.UK warns not to wait. If your visa expires before you can apply for ILR, you need to renew it first, which costs much more (see our Skilled Worker visa fees guide).

After ILR: citizenship and keeping your status

ILR lets you live, work and study in the UK without time limits, use public services, and apply for benefits if eligible. GOV.UK says you can usually apply for British citizenship after a minimum of 12 months with ILR. You can lose ILR if you stay outside the UK for more than 2 years at a time.

Is the 5-year route changing?

The Home Office has consulted on an “earned settlement” model with a longer baseline qualifying period. As of late October 2026, the Skilled Worker ILR guidance on GOV.UK still describes the 5-year route set out above. Our explainer on the proposed 10-year earned settlement route covers what was proposed and what has been decided so far. If you are close to 5 years, keep checking GOV.UK, because transitional rules will matter.

Frequently asked questions

How much is ILR for a Skilled Worker in 2026?

GOV.UK lists a fee of £3,226 for each person applying. Priority (£500) and super priority (£1,000) services may be available on top. You do not pay the immigration health surcharge on an ILR application.

When can I apply for ILR on a Skilled Worker visa?

The earliest you can apply is 28 days before you have been in the UK for 5 years on a qualifying visa. GOV.UK warns your application may be refused if you apply earlier.

What is the 180-day rule for ILR?

To count as continuous residence, you must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months during your 5 qualifying years.

Do I need an English test for Skilled Worker ILR?

Not as the main applicant. GOV.UK says you do not need to prove English again because you did so for your visa. You do need to pass the Life in the UK Test if you are aged 18 to 64. Partners aged 18 to 64 need both.

Is ILR changing to 10 years?

The government has consulted on an 'earned settlement' model with a longer baseline qualifying period. As of late October 2026, the GOV.UK guidance for Skilled Workers still describes a 5-year route.