On 15 September 2026, the UK Home Secretary confirmed that the decision to replace the five-year route to ILR with a new ‘earned settlement’ system will be published before the end of the year. The key point: your application is assessed under the rules in force on the day you apply, not on the day you arrived in the country. This means the window to apply under the current rules is shrinking to weeks and months, not years.

What the Parliamentary Committee Confirmed

At the Home Affairs Committee hearing, the minister gave three critically important confirmations.

The announcement on the new settlement policy will come out this year, not next. The window to apply under the current five-year rules is now counted in weeks and months.

Contrary to a common misconception, you are assessed under the rules in force at the time you submit your application, not on the day you arrived or received your visa. If the new rules take effect before you apply, you will be assessed under them.

The minister specifically noted she is closely monitoring the group of people who arrived in 2022 and become eligible for status in early 2027. For this group, a critical timing window applies.

What the New Settlement System Will Include

The new system will link the path to permanent residence to three factors: salary level, type of employment, and compliance history.

Proposed timelines for obtaining ILR:

  • three years for a salary of £125,140 or above;
  • five years for NHS workers, teachers, family visa holders, and Hong Kong BNO citizens;
  • 10 years as the standard minimum for most applicants;
  • 15 years for mid- and low-skilled workers at RQF levels three to five.

This is not a tweak but a complete overhaul of the country’s permanent status system.

What Is Known About the Transition Period

Consultations on transitional protections have taken place, but nothing has been finalized. Options range from full protection for current applicants to partial protection for specific groups.

Counting on transitional guarantees while waiting to clarify your own status is a strategy based on hope, not proven facts.

Why the Application Date Matters

The most commonly misunderstood point in the ILR debate: you are protected by the rules in force on the day you submit your application. If you are currently eligible for ILR under the existing five-year rules, apply now. Don’t wait for the new policy announcement. Don’t wait for confirmation of transitional arrangements. The application date locks in the rules that apply to you.