Some migrants could wait up to 20 years for permanent residence in the UK. The government is preparing new rules: “It is not a right, but a privilege”

Migrants who are legally in the UK could have to wait up to 20 years before they can get permanent resident status, according to proposals drawn up by the London government, the BBC reports.

British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced that the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain will be extended from five to 10 years. The measure will be applied to the approximately 2.6 million people who arrived in the Kingdom starting in 2021. The changes will not apply to people who have already obtained permanent residency.

The package is just the latest in a series of changes to the immigration system that Mahmood has announced in the past week.

She said becoming part of the UK was “not a right, but a privilege – and one that must be earned”.

ILR allows unrestricted establishment

Indefinite leave, or Permanent Residence (ILR), allows a person to live permanently in the UK, work without restrictions and access public services. It is also a key step towards gaining British citizenship.

Currently, most work and family visa holders can apply for ILR after five years. Based on the proposed changes, the standard waiting period will be 10 years – with a series of criteria that would extend or, as appropriate, shorten this period.

Legal migrants who claim benefits for less than 12 months will have to wait 15 years;

People who arrived on health and welfare visas post-Brexit would have to wait 15 years, up from five years at present;

Migrants who depend on benefits for more than 12 months face a 20-year waiting period for settlement, four times longer than the current and longest in Europe.

“The scale of arrivals in recent years has been unprecedented”

Announcing the proposed changes in the House of Commons, Mahmood said “migration will always be a vital part of Britain's story”.

“But the scale of arrivals in recent years has been unprecedented,” added the British Home Secretary.

Home Office figures show that net migration added 2.6 million people to the UK population between 2021 and 2024. Settlement allowances are therefore expected to increase over the next five years.

Ministers plan to introduce a system of “earned settlement”, which requires migrants to demonstrate social integration, economic contribution and good “character” before being granted permanent resident status.

Applicants will need to meet stricter minimum criteria, including the equivalent of the standard A-level English language exam, a clean criminal record and an annual income of more than £12,570 for at least three years. There will be fast-track routes for those who make an “outsized contribution” to the UK.

The government plans to introduce the changes from spring 2026, after consultations close on 12 February.

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