Skilled Worker ILR / Tier 2 General Migrant

You can apply for Skilled Worker ILR / Tier 2 General migrant after you have lived in the UK for 5 years as a Skilled Worker. You can apply for ILR as a Skilled Worker / Tier 2 General migrant 28 days before completing the 5 years qualifying period. An application for ILR as a Skilled Worker / Tier 2 General migrant is made using application form SET (O).

Our expert team of Skilled Worker visa solicitors are specialists in dealing with ILR applications for Skilled Workers. As specialist Skilled Worker visa solicitors, our highly qualified lawyers have wealth of knowledge and experience to provide high quality legal services for ILR application as a Skilled Worker. The high quality of our legal services is self-evident from the reviews of our clients for excellent immigration services provided by our highly experienced and qualified immigration lawyers. Ask a question to our Skilled Worker visa solicitors for free immigration advice or schedule an appointment for detailed legal advice concerning your ILR as a Skilled Worker / Tier 2 General migrant.

Eligibility Requirements For ILR As A Skilled Worker Migrant

You should meet the following eligibility requirements for grant of ILR as a Skilled Worker or Tier 2 General migrant:

Qualifying Period Requirement:

The applicant must have spent a continuous period of 5 years in the UK, consisting of time with permission in any of, or any combination of, the following routes:

• Skilled Worker
• Tier 2 (General)
• Global Talent
• Innovator
• T2 Minister of Religion / Tier 2 (Minister of Religion)
• T2 Sportsperson / Tier 2 (Sportsperson)
• Representative of an Overseas Business
• Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent)
• Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)
• Tier 1 (Investor)
• Tier 1 (General)

The most recent permission must have been in either the Skilled Worker or Tier 2 (General) route. An applicant does not need to have switched from Tier 2 (General) to Skilled Worker before applying for settlement as a Skilled Worker, as the definition of Skilled Worker in the Immigration Rules includes those with permission in the Tier 2 (General) route.

Continuous Residence Requirement:

The applicant must meet the continuous residence requirement as set out in Appendix Continuous Residence during the qualifying period for ILR as a Skilled Worker / Tier 2 General Migrant.

Knowledge Of Life In The UK Requirement:

The applicant must meet the Knowledge of Life in the UK requirement as set out in Appendix KOL UK. They do not need to meet an English language requirement for settlement, as they will have met this in their previous Skilled Worker application.

Sponsorship and Salary Requirement:

The eligibility rules (paragraph SW 24.1.) require the sponsor to still hold a Skilled Worker licence. The sponsor must confirm they require the applicant to work for them for the foreseeable future, and the applicant will be paid at least the minimum salary in paragraph SW 24.3. for the foreseeable future. The sponsor should not assign a new CoS for this purpose –an e-mail or letter is sufficient, as long as it can be verified with the sponsor if necessary.

The salary must be at least £20,480 per year and at least the going rate for the job (whichever is higher), if any of the following circumstances apply:

• the applicant was sponsored in their most recent permission for a job in a shortage occupation (this includes cases where their job was removed from Appendix Shortage Occupation List, but they were sponsored to continue working in the same job for the same sponsor)
• the applicant was sponsored in their most recent permission in a health or education occupation code listed in Table 2 of Appendix Skilled Occupations
• the 5-year qualifying period for settlement includes time in Tier 2 (General), during which the applicant was sponsored in one of the following occupation codes:
  • 2111 Chemical scientists
  • 2112 Biological scientists and biochemists
  • 2113 Physical scientists
  • 2114Social and humanities scientists
  • 2119 Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified
  • 2150 Research and development managers
  • 2311 Higher education teaching professionals

In all other circumstances, the salary must be at least £25,600 per year and at least the going rate for the job (whichever is higher). Please note for ILR as a Skilled Worker:

• there is no reduction to the £25,600 threshold for relevant PhD qualifications or new entrants
• there is no reduction to the going rate, for any reason

Transitional Arrangements For Tier 2 General Migrants Applying Under Skilled Worker Visa Route

If the applicant is applying for extension or ILR, and the applicant was last granted permission as a Tier 2 (General) Migrant, the following transitional arrangements apply:

• if the date of application is before 1 December 2026 salary may also include allowances, providing the following conditions are met:
  • the applicant is applying to work for the same sponsor as in their previous permission; and
  • the allowances are guaranteed, will be paid for the duration of the applicant’s permission, and would be paid to a local settled worker in similar circumstances, such as London weighting; and
• if the date of application is before 24 May 2023 and the applicant had permission as a Tier 2 (General) Migrant based on a certificate of sponsorship given to them by their sponsor before 24 November 2016, the applicant does not need to score 20 tradeable points from options A to F, instead, 20 tradeable points will be awarded for a salary of £20,800 or above, or at least the going rate for the occupation code, if higher (the other requirements in SW 12.1. to SW 12.4 also apply), but these points will not be awarded if the applicant is not also being awarded the 20 mandatory points for sponsorship under and the 20 mandatory points for a job at the appropriate skill level.

Super Priority Service (Decision Within 24 Hours) For ILR – Skilled Worker

As the expert immigration solicitors based in London, we are registered with the Home Office, UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) and its commercial partners UKVCAS Sopra Steria to provide Super Priority Service (SPS) for your application whereby decision on your application will be made by the Home Office UKVI within 24 hours of the submission of the application at a designated service centre.

Our ILR solicitors can prepare and submit your ILR application to the Home Office, UKVI through Super Priority Service (SPS) and get decision on your ILR application within 24 hours. This way, you will not have to wait for the decision on your ILR application for months (sometimes years).

How Can We Help With Your ILR As A Skilled Worker Migrant?

Our expert team of ILR solicitors specialise in ILR application for Skilled Worker. If instructed to represent you regarding your application for ILR as a Skilled Worker, we will carry out all the work on your ILR application until a decision is made by the Home Office UKVI on your ILR application. The immigration casework to be carried out by our expert team of ILR solicitors will include the following:

• Assessing your eligibility for ILR as a Skilled Worker Migrant by considering all your personal circumstances including assessment of salary threshold, absences from the UK, any adverse immigration or personal history etc;
• Advising you on the weaknesses and strengths of your ILR application as a Skilled Worker;
• Advising you on the relevant documents to be submitted in support of your ILR application;
• Assessing your documents to ensure that the documentary evidence is as per requirements of the Home Office UKVI immigration Rules;
• Completing and submitting the online application form SET (O) to apply for ILR as a Skilled Worker by gathering all the relevant information from you;
• Helping you with paying the ILR application fee for your application;
• Booking your appointment with the UKVCAS biometrics enrolment centre centre for enrolment of your biometrics;
• Providing you with templates of certain documents e.g. a letter from your current and previous employer (if applicable);
• Providing you a template of letter from your current and previous employer (if applicable) to be submitted in support of your ILR application;
• Preparing your statement in relation to your absences from the UK where your current and/or previous employer has not issued a letter in relation to your absences from the UK during your employment with the relevant employer.
• Preparing a detailed cover letter to introduce and support your ILR application;
• Uploading online all the relevant supporting documents before you attend your appointment for enrolment of your biometrics;
• Liaising with the Home Office UKVI for a timely decision on your ILR application.

Our Fixed Fees For ILR As A Skilled Worker

Our fixed fees for ILR as a skilled worker from inside the UK are as given in the fee table below: