Are you moving to the UK on a Skilled Worker Visa? If yes, we hope you have noticed the latest minimum salary threshold changes for this visa, which have shifted to £38,700 annually from £26,200. No wonder both employers and employees holding Skilled Worker Visas are expecting to convert it into a permanent UK settlement once they are eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). 

In this blog, we will talk about how to obtain an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) when you have entered the UK on a Skilled Worker Visa. Let’s begin. 

How to Settle in the UK with Indefinite Leave to Remain when Applying for Skilled Worker Visa

Well, if you have applied for a UK Skilled Worker Visa, you will obtain a legal permit to live and work here for up to 5 years. Now, when seeking a permanent settlement in the UK, you have various options, including:

• Skilled Worker Visa extensions : 

  [Note: You need a sponsoring employer and have to work in the same role. If you change your employer or job role, you must apply for a new Skilled Worker Visa in the UK.]
• Switch to another UK visa type, such as a Family Visa 
• Applying for an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) for a permanent settlement. 

Tip: Never let your Worker Visa lapse when you are in the UK. It may show you as an overstayer, which can get in the way of obtaining Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or any other visa while affecting your immigration status. 

Now, if you want a UK settlement without limited employment options and sponsor license holders, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is the best choice of all mentioned above. It gives you the freedom to live and work in the UK while making you worry-free about paying the visa application fee or depending on the sponsoring employer, as your Skilled Worker Visa won’t be valid anymore if he lets you go. Hence, you have to leave the UK.

So, when you are on a Skilled Worker Visa in the UK, extend the stay up to 5 years (maximum), and then you are eligible to apply for an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) if you meet the eligibility requirements. Such as:

• Holding a valid travel document or a passport
• The pass certificate for ‘Life in the UK’ test
• Travel history if you have immigrated to the UK before
• English proficiency certificate with a passing grade
• Bank statements 
• Other documents, if required and relevant to this visa category 

In fact, when you live under ILR status for a year in the UK, you will be eligible to apply for British citizenship. You need to submit this application to the Home Office via naturalisation. After that, you can enjoy all the privileges of being a British citizen.

However, when you are on the Skilled Worker Visa for 5 years, you need to meet the lawful residence requirements, including:

• Meeting the minimum salary threshold for ILR status based on your Skilled Worker Visa
• Immigration and settlement requirements 
• Maintaining sponsored employment with the employer holding the license
• Passing the ‘Life in the UK’ test
• Not spending more than 180 days a year out of the UK during that 5 years of residence

Since the Skilled Worker visa and Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) rules are complex, you better hire top Indefinite Leave to Remain lawyers in the UK to guide you throughout the process. At Intime Immigration Solicitors, we have the best team of Indefinite Leave to Remain solicitors to take care of your immigration procedure and settlement disputes, eliminating the chances of application denial. 

Reach out to us now for an online assessment, or call us today!