A Guide to Indefinite Leave to Remain for Skilled Worker Visas

You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after residing in the UK for five years. In fact, you don't even need to wait this long, you can apply 28 days before your five year residency anniversary. However, before you apply, you will need to ensure you have satisfied all the eligibility requirements, some of which require forward planning and preparation. We therefore suggest to all clients to begin the process of collecting your documents and ensuring you satisfying all the requirements three to six months before your application is submitted.

When applying for ILR you will need to meet the standard requirements that are customary for all UK visas, specifically:

• All appropriate fees have been paid
• Biometric information has been submitted
• A valid passport or travel document is provided
• You are in the country on the date of application
• You won't fall for refusal under Part 9 of the Immigration Rules - General Grounds for Refusal
• You're not in breach of any immigration rules

In addition to these general requirements, you must also satisfy the specific requirements for the ILR application. These are generally more complex and more challenging to meet. 

The first requirement is residency. This is the cornerstone of an ILR application, and it's essential that you both meet the criteria and can clearly evidence this by comprehensively detailing your travel history. You must demonstrate you have lived continuously in the UK for the full five years of your visa with only limited periods away from the UK. If you spend over 180 days outside the UK during any rolling 12-month period, your continuous residence period will restart.

The second requirement, and a key one for Skilled Worker Visas, is the employment and income requirements. When applying for ILR you will need to demonstrate the following:

• The sponsor listed on your most recent permission must still hold Home Office approval to sponsor Skilled Workers at the time the decision is made.
• The sponsor must confirm that they continue to require you to work for them in the foreseeable future and that you are currently receiving, and will continue to receive, at least the minimum required salary for the job role.

The ongoing support of your employer remains key to your application. You will not be able to apply for ILR under the Skilled Worker route without these undertakings from your employer.

The other major requirement is the Knowledge of Language and Life (KOLL) in the UK. The requirements are two-fold. Firstly, you will be required to pass the Life in the UK Test, a multiple choice examination that tests your knowledge of British history, culture, and traditions. It's a test that you will need to study for and one that even many native British people wouldn't be able to pass without studying. Secondly, you must pass an approved English language test at level B1 or higher unless you are exempt or can demonstrate your English proficiency through other accepted methods. Alternative ways to satisfy this requirement include holding a degree-level qualification taught in English (with an accompanying ECCTIS certificate), being a national of a majority English-speaking country, or being over 65 years of age.

As outlined above, if you meet the eligibility criteria for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) you need to demonstrate this through clear, unambiguous, supporting documentation. When applying for ILR  under the Skilled Worker Route, you will typically need to provide the following documents:

• Passports & Travel Documents: You must submit complete copies of all passports you have used in the past five years, including expired passports, as they provide evidence of your travel history.
• Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) / e-Visa: If you have an expired BRP this should be included along with a share code for your eVisa to show your immigration status online.
• Employer / Sponsor Letter: A letter onfirming your continued employment and your current salary (which must be above the minimum requirement for your specific role)
• Proof of English Language Proficiency: Unless exempt, you must submit an English language test certificate at level B1 or higher. If you are exempt due to holding an academic qualification taught in English, you must provide a UK ECCTIS certificate. If your exemption is based on age or nationality, your passport will usually be sufficient.
• Life in the UK Test Pass Certificate: You must provide your test certificate and reference confirming you have completed and passed the Life in the UK test.
• Additional Supporting Documents: These include mortgage statements/tenancy agreements and bank statements to show you have suitable accommodation and savings to support yourself without relying on public funds. 

The documents listed above reflect the standard requirements for an ILR application. However, you may need to supply additional supporting evidence if you have dependants or complex circumstances, such as prolonged absences from the UK. 

You can apply for ILR up to 28 days before completing five years in the UK on your Skilled Worker Visa. Applying too early or after your visa expires may lead to refusal. When working out your continuous residence, use your visa start date rather than the date you arrived in the UK. As long as you arrived in the UK promptly and haven’t spent over 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period, you should meet the continuous residence requirement.

In 2025, the Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application fee for Skilled Worker Visa holders is £2,885. This applies to both the main applicant and any dependants that will be applying with you. Applications for ILR are relatively slow, taking up to 6 months for a decision to be made. This makes the priority service a popular option, although there’s an extra £1,000 fee to be applicant. This reduces the decision time to just a single working day, and is considered money well spent by many applicants who get the certainty of a quick turnaround on their application. Please note that both the application fee and the priority service fee are non-refundable once you’ve applied.