The House of Commons have held a debate on the Immigration White Paper’s proposed changes to the timescales for Indefinite Leave to Remain, which could see those already on qualifying visa routes having to wait ten years before settlement.
When the UK Government’s Immigration White Paper was published in May 2025, we received many enquiries about the proposed changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain (or settlement). Amongst the White Paper’s various proposals for changes to UK immigration, it set out that the required period of residence for settlement in the UK would, in general, increase from five years to ten years.
We discussed the White Paper’s proposals, particularly those in respect of Indefinite Leave to Remain, in great depth at our White Paper webinar – which you can watch a recording of here.
What was of particular concern about the White Paper’s proposals on settlement was the suggestion that these changes might apply retroactively – meaning that those individuals already in the UK on qualifying visa routes might suddenly see their wait for settlement being extended by an additional five years.
These fears were only fanned by following updates from Government spokespeople, generating significant levels of uncertainty for visa holders currently in the UK who have put down roots in anticipation of settling in the near future. Maintaining a visa for a full period of ten years can be a tall order, particularly for those on sponsored work visas, and puts migrant workers in a precarious position ripe for exploitation by employers, who know that the individual’s continuing right to reside is at their discretion. In addition, the cost of renewing a visa for a further five years would represent a significant financial barrier for some existing visa holders – the additional Immigration Healthcare Surcharge for one adult would cost £5,175.
With all of this in mind, it is perhaps unsurprising that visa holders have expressed their discontent about the proposed changes. Two online petitions have garnered signatures of 164,000 and 108,000 people respectively – the former relating to the Skilled Worker route, with the latter addressing Hong Kong BNO visas. Having crossed the required signature threshold, these petitions were debated in the House of Commons on 8 September 2025. The full Hansard transcript can be found here.
Visa holders will be encouraged by much of the debate’s content, with a number of MPs highlighting both the unfairness of the proposed changes for those already in the UK along with the significant contributions made by Skilled Workers to the UK economy and society.
However, Alex Norris MP, Minister of State at the Home Office, was unable to flesh out or build upon the scant details set out in the White Paper. In particular, while we already know that a consultation on the Indefinite Leave to Remain changes is proposed for later this year, Mr Norris did not clarify when this consultation will take place.
This debate does provide some cause for optimism for existing visa holders, in that it demonstrates that many in the Commons are opposed to the changes. However, the lack of clarity over timescales and the nature of the planned consultation means that we are still more in the dark at this stage than we might have hoped. For as long as this uncertainty continues, applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain as soon as possible is likely to remain an attractive option, allowing visa holders to lock in their settlement before the proposed changes come into force.
If you have any questions about applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain, please get in touch at [email protected]
