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Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) represents permanent settlement status in the United Kingdom, allowing your employees to live and work without time restrictions. For global mobility professionals managing international talent, understanding ILR eligibility is critical to long-term workforce planning and employee retention strategies.
The UK Home Office sets specific requirements for ILR applications, and eligibility varies based on the visa route your employee currently holds. Most employment-based routes require continuous residence in the UK for either 3 or 5 years, depending on the visa category.
Different UK visa routes have different qualifying periods for ILR eligibility:
Time spent in the UK on different visa types can often be combined toward the qualifying period, but specific rules apply. For example, time on a Student visa generally cannot count toward settlement, though exceptions exist for PhD students under certain circumstances.
The Home Office defines "continuous residence" strictly for ILR purposes. Your employees must not have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any rolling 12-month period during their qualifying period. Additionally, total absences cannot exceed 540 days across the full 5-year qualifying period (or 270 days for 3-year routes).
Exceeding these limits doesn't automatically disqualify an employee from ILR, but they must provide compelling reasons for excessive absences—typically limited to serious illness, family emergencies, or unavoidable work commitments. The Home Office caseworkers have discretion in these cases, making documentation critical.
Beyond continuous residence, employees must meet several other requirements:
For Skilled Worker route applicants, employees must continue meeting the minimum salary threshold (£38,700 as of April 2024, or the "going rate" for their occupation code, whichever is higher) at the time of ILR application. Global Talent visa holders have no minimum salary requirement, reflecting the route's flexibility for exceptional talent.
Continuous employment with a licensed sponsor isn't required throughout the entire qualifying period, but applicants must hold appropriate immigration status at all times. Periods of unemployment are permitted as long as the person maintains valid visa status.
Indefinite Leave to Remain transforms your international employees into permanent members of your UK workforce. ILR holders enjoy significant advantages:
From a talent retention perspective, employees who achieve ILR are significantly more likely to remain in the UK long-term, providing your organisation with workforce stability and eliminating ongoing sponsorship compliance obligations.
Global mobility professionals should begin ILR planning at least 12 months before an employee's eligibility date. This timeline allows adequate preparation for:
Many organisations integrate ILR eligibility tracking into their global mobility dashboards, setting automated reminders when employees approach their qualifying periods. This proactive approach prevents missed opportunities and demonstrates organisational support for employee settlement.
The most frequent ILR application issue involves absence limit breaches. Employees often misunderstand the 180-day rolling period rule, calculating absences on a calendar-year basis rather than as rolling 12-month periods. Our calculator automatically checks all rolling periods to identify potential breaches.
Brief gaps between visa extensions can break continuous residence. If an employee's visa expired and they applied for an extension even one day late (without a valid reason), this may restart their qualifying period clock. Early renewal applications prevent this issue.
Employees who switch between visa categories during their UK residence must verify whether time in each category counts toward ILR. Generally, time on work visas (Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator, etc.) counts, while Student visa time typically doesn't unless they qualified for the PhD exemption.
The Home Office requires comprehensive proof of continuous residence. Employees must retain:
Missing documentation can delay applications significantly. Advise employees to maintain organised records from their first day in the UK.
Once your calculator confirms ILR eligibility, employees can submit their application through the Home Office portal. The standard processing time is 6 months, though many applications are decided within 3-4 months.
Employees can use the Super Priority Service (decision within 24 hours) or Priority Service (decision within 5 working days) by paying additional fees—currently £800 and £500 respectively beyond the standard £2,885 application fee. For urgent business needs, these premium services provide certainty.
During the application process, employees retain their current visa status and can continue working. If their visa expires while the ILR application is pending, Section 3C leave automatically extends their permission until a decision is made.
ILR status remains valid indefinitely, but employees must be careful about extended absences after receiving settlement. Spending more than 2 continuous years outside the UK can result in ILR lapse. For employees with international mobility needs, advise them to apply for a Returning Resident visa if they anticipate extended overseas assignments.
After holding ILR for 12 months, employees become eligible for British citizenship through naturalisation. This provides additional benefits including an EU-approved passport, consular protection worldwide, and the ability to pass citizenship to children born abroad.
Jobbatical's immigration platform provides comprehensive support for global mobility teams managing employee settlement journeys. Beyond our ILR eligibility calculator, we offer:
Our platform integrates with your HRIS to pull employment data automatically, reducing manual data entry and eliminating calculation errors. When employees become ILR-eligible, Jobbatical generates personalised settlement roadmaps outlining required steps, document checklists, and optimal application timing.
For organisations managing dozens or hundreds of international employees, this systematic approach to settlement planning reduces compliance risks, improves employee experience, and ensures no eligible employee misses their ILR opportunity due to administrative oversight.
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UK Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) grants permanent residency, allowing employees to live and work in the UK without visa restrictions.
For HR and mobility teams, it supports long-term talent retention, reduces sponsorship burdens, and enables strategic relocation planning—use our calculator to assess eligibility early.
Employees on Skilled Worker visas typically qualify after 5 continuous years in the UK, meeting salary thresholds (e.g., £38,700+), English proficiency (B1 level), and the 10-year long residence rule if applicable.
Global mobility professionals can input employee details into our ILR calculator for instant qualification checks.
Applicants must not spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period during the qualifying time.
HR teams managing expatriates should track absences carefully—our calculator flags potential risks to help avoid application rejections.
This pathway applies to employees on various visas (e.g., Skilled Worker, Global Talent) who have lived lawfully in the UK for 10 years.
Use our calculator to assess cumulative residence and plan extensions or visa switches strategically.
Yes, dependents can qualify after 5 years alongside the main applicant, provided residence and English requirements are met.
Mobility managers can use the calculator to align family timelines with primary sponsor eligibility.
Applicants must demonstrate B1-level English in speaking, listening, reading, and writing through approved tests such as IELTS or Trinity.
HR teams can use our calculator to verify readiness and ensure compliance before submission.
Skilled Workers must earn at least £38,700 (or tradeable points equivalent) in their final qualifying year.
Global mobility teams should factor in promotions or bonuses using our calculator to forecast ILR success and workforce stability.
The Life in the UK test assesses knowledge of British history, culture, and values (pass mark: 75%). Retakes are permitted.
HR teams should plan preparation early; our calculator includes this milestone within the eligibility timeline.
Yes. ILR secures key talent against visa expiry risks, supports promotions, and reduces relocation churn.
Calculate batch eligibility to inform strategic workforce planning and UK expansion decisions.
Common issues include excess absences, criminal records, or TB test failures.
Our B2B calculator provides risk indicators and mitigation guidance to help mobility teams submit stronger applications.
Standard processing takes up to 6 months. Priority processing is available in 5 days for an additional £800.
Use our calculator to plan submission timing around business cycles and avoid productivity gaps.
ILR is a prerequisite for British citizenship. Applicants can typically apply after one additional year and meeting the required criteria.
Use our calculator to map the full journey from visa status to citizenship for long-term workforce planning.
The calculator determines your qualifying period based on your employee's current visa type and UK entry date. It applies Home Office rules specific to each route: 5 years for Skilled Worker visas, 3 years for Global Talent, and appropriate periods for other settlement routes. The calculator also combines qualifying time from multiple visa categories when permitted under immigration rules, giving you an accurate eligibility date.
It automatically accounts for time spent on previous visa types that count toward settlement, excluding non-qualifying periods like Student visa time (unless eligible for PhD exemptions). You'll receive a precise date when you can submit your ILR application.
Calculate your UK ILR eligibility instantly. Check qualifying residence periods, visa requirements, absence limits and costs for Indefinite Leave to Remain applications with our free tool.
View All Calculators For United KingdomSave time, eliminate manual tasks, and give your international employees a smooth, predictable relocation experience.
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