The UK government has set out major reforms to the immigration system that will introduce a contribution-based model for settlement. Ministers say the changes represent the most significant update in decades and are designed to create a clearer and more consistent route to long-term residence. The new structure will apply to migrants already in the UK who have not secured settlement when the rules take effect.
Nearly two million visa holders who have arrived since 2021 are expected to come under the revised system. The rules will apply to skilled workers, family migrants, health and care visa holders and those on temporary schemes. Indefinite leave to remain, known as ILR, is the permanent residency status that allows a migrant to live and work in the UK without time limits and eventually apply for citizenship. The Home Office says the revised approach will tie settlement more closely to employment, integration and compliance with immigration conditions.
