UK Announces Major Immigration Changes, New Waiting Periods for Nigerians, Others
- UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a major overhaul of settlement rules
- Most migrants will now wait 10 years for permanent residency, with some categories facing up to 30 years
- Nigerians in the UK will qualify under different timelines depending on earnings, immigration category and compliance
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The United Kingdom has overhauled its immigration settlement rules, requiring most foreign nationals to wait 10 years before they can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), doubling the current five-year qualifying period.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the changes on Monday, November 2, 2026, under a new framework called Earned Settlement, which ties permanent residency to migrants' earnings, occupation, immigration history and compliance with visa conditions.
Source: Getty Images
New settlement timelines based on earnings
Under the revised rules, migrants earning below £50,000 a year will generally need to complete 10 years of continuous residence before applying for permanent residency.
Those earning above £50,000, along with eligible skilled public service workers, will retain the existing five-year pathway. Higher earners bringing in more than £125,000 annually could qualify in as little as three years.
Migrant care workers who arrived before May 2025 and earn at least £25,000 annually will also keep the five-year route, provided they have met their visa conditions.
The government made this concession after Labour lawmakers raised concerns that extending the waiting period for care workers could deepen staffing shortages in Britain's social care sector.
Tougher rules for other migrant groups
The new framework imposes far longer waits on other categories. Migrants who entered the UK through irregular means, such as small boat crossings, could face a qualifying period of up to 30 years.
Those who have claimed benefits could wait 20 years, while anyone with a criminal record will be barred from obtaining settlement under the proposals.
The government will also require migrants to demonstrate English language proficiency at A-level standard before they can qualify for permanent residency.
Source: UGC
Mahmood said about 517,000 migrants would face delayed settlement under the revised plan, a reduction from the 799,000 who would have been affected under an earlier version of the framework.
The government described the changes as an effort to make permanent residency an earned status rather than an automatic entitlement.
For Nigerians living and working in the UK, the applicable waiting period will vary depending on their immigration category, annual earnings, employment sector and compliance with the updated requirements.
UK changes work permit rules
Legit.ng had earlier reported that the UK Home Office introduced changes allowing foreign workers recognised as victims of modern slavery to leave abusive employers and secure new jobs without jeopardising their immigration status.
The policy applies to Skilled Worker visa holders whose permission to stay in the UK is linked to a particular employer.
Previously, workers who left their sponsoring employers risked losing their immigration status, a restriction that critics argued exposed them to exploitation and workplace abuse.
Source: Legit.ng
