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Settlement on a Work Route

Settlement

Settlement on a Work Route

Indefinite leave to remain after the qualifying period on Skilled Worker or another work route that leads to settlement.

For people who have completed, or are approaching, the qualifying period on Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Global Talent or another work route that leads to settlement, and for their dependants.

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Settlement on a work route is often assumed to be automatic once the qualifying period ends. It is not. The application is assessed against the salary the role pays at the date of application, the absences recorded across the whole qualifying period and a fresh confirmation from the sponsor, and any one of the three can defeat an otherwise strong case.

The main questions

Have you completed the continuous qualifying period on routes that count towards settlement? Under the current rules this is five years for Skilled Worker, but settlement rules are under review, so check the current position.
Do your absences stay within the permitted limit across every twelve-month period?
Does your salary meet the requirement that applies at the date of application, not the one that applied when you were sponsored?
Will your sponsor confirm that they still require you in the role for the foreseeable future?
Have you passed the Life in the UK test and can you meet the English language requirement?

Absences are the usual problem

Time spent outside the UK is counted across each twelve-month period of the qualifying period, not as a single total at the end. People who travel regularly for work often discover late that one particular year takes them over the limit.

Some absences are treated differently, including those for serious illness or for a legally binding reason. These are exceptions rather than the rule, and they need to be evidenced at the time of the application.

Combining routes

Time on more than one qualifying work route can usually be added together, and time on a route that does not lead to settlement cannot. Where someone has switched between routes we map the full immigration history before advising on the earliest date an application can be made.

Dependants

Partners and children usually apply separately and are assessed on their own continuous residence. A dependant who joined later will often not qualify at the same time as the main applicant, which is normal and not a problem provided it is planned for.

Do not apply early
An application made before the qualifying period is complete will be refused and the fee is not returned.
Check the salary requirement that applies now. Requirements have risen, and a role that was compliant when sponsored may no longer be.
Ask your sponsor for the confirmation early. A sponsor who is restructuring or has lost its licence changes the position entirely.

How WLIS can help

1 We check that the route suits your plans and that the matter is a straightforward one within our IAA Level 1 authorisation.
2 We review your eligibility and your documents, and explain plainly anything that needs attention.
3 We give you a document checklist written for your circumstances rather than a generic one.
4 We prepare the application form and supporting documents, and you check and approve the final information before anything is submitted.
5 We help with submission, biometrics or identity steps, and your eVisa and UKVI account after the decision.

What we can and cannot help with

We provide advice and application assistance for straightforward immigration matters within our IAA Level 1 Immigration authorisation. Where a matter falls outside that authorisation — for example because it involves adverse immigration history, a discretionary or human-rights claim, an administrative review, an appeal or tribunal work — we will tell you and signpost or refer you to an adviser authorised at the appropriate level.

If an application is refused, we will explain the decision and whether any further work remains within our Level 1 authorisation. Where an administrative review, an appeal or other higher-level casework is needed, we will signpost or refer you to an appropriately authorised adviser. We do not provide appeal or tribunal representation.

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) makes the final decision on every application. No immigration adviser can guarantee that an application will be approved.

Our IAA regulation How we work Fees

Questions clients often ask

How many days can I spend outside the UK?

The limit is assessed across each twelve-month period of the qualifying period rather than as one total. Keep a record of every trip, including short ones, because the count is made from travel history and not from memory. If one year looks close to the limit, tell us before you apply.

Can I count time on a different visa towards the five years?

Time on another route that leads to settlement can usually be combined. Time on a route that does not lead to settlement, such as a visitor or short-term student visa, cannot. We map the full history before confirming the earliest safe application date.

What happens if my sponsor will not confirm the role?

The application cannot normally proceed on this route without it. If the sponsor is unwilling, or has lost its licence, there may be other options, and they should be assessed before your current permission runs out. Where the sponsor licence has been revoked, you may need an adviser authorised at a higher level.

Official sources we check

We check what we publish against the Home Office's own guidance. These are the GOV.UK pages behind the advice on this site — use them to confirm anything you read here, because the rules change and the official page is always the current one.

GOV.UK content is published by the UK government and is not part of this website.

Talk to us about settlement on a work route

Tell us what you want to apply for, the status you hold now and when your current permission ends. We will confirm whether the matter is within our Level 1 authorisation and offer a suitable appointment.

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The enquiry button opens the secure WLIS enquiry form on enquiry.wlisuk.com in a new tab. Please do not send identity documents until we ask for them.