UK's New 10-Year Settlement Rule: What It Means for International Students

When you move to a new country for your studies, you’re thinking about the future. For many international students, the possibility of eventually gaining Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and building a life here is a big part of the plan. It often influences the decision to study in the UK in the first place. But it now looks like the government is redrawing the roadmap for that journey with significant new UK settlement rules.

The Home Secretary has recently announced proposals that could fundamentally change the path to making the UK a permanent home. It’s a major shift, and if you're a prospective or current student, these potential ILR changes are something you need to have on your radar.

So, what's actually on the table in this proposal?

The headline change is a new "contribution-based" model for settlement. The biggest part of this is extending the minimum residency period required before you can apply for ILR. The proposal is to double it from the current five years to a new 10-year route to settlement.

A decade is a significant chapter of your life. The government’s stated aim is that this ensures people have contributed to the UK's economy and society for a substantial period.

Now, this 10-year path to ILR isn't necessarily set in stone for everyone. The plans suggest you could potentially reduce the waiting period by meeting specific requirements, like hitting a certain earnings threshold or demonstrating strong "integration." On the flip side, anyone who hasn't been compliant with visa rules could face an even longer wait, or have their application refused outright.

This new contribution-based settlement model also lays out a clearer checklist for what "contributing" looks like:

• Being in work and making National Insurance contributions.

• Not receiving public funds or benefits.

• Having a high standard of English.

• Maintaining a clean criminal record.

• Giving back to the community, for example, through volunteering.
  

It's a lot to take in, I know. And there are also rumors circulating that these new rules, if they go through, might be applied to anyone who arrived in the UK after 2021. Nothing is confirmed, but it’s causing a lot of chatter and it’s something we need to watch closely.

This isn't about being positive or negative; it's about being informed. For any student planning their future, this changes the calculation. If the possibility of staying in the UK long-term is a factor in your decision, these proposed changes are a massive piece of that puzzle. It means thinking not just about your one-year Master's, but about a potential eleven-year journey to settlement.

Navigating all this can feel overwhelming. That’s why I created Global Student Insights—to break down these complex UK immigration rules and help you understand what they mean for your personal journey.

I’ve put together a video that walks through these proposals in more detail. You can watch it here to get a clearer picture of the new 10-year settlement rule:

Click here to watch: https://youtu.be/SAbUHu-K-Ls?si=nGJnJ2u6SJ00NBUu

To stay up-to-date and get clear, simple guidance on this and other topics affecting international students, make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel, HARSH SHONAK. We’re all about giving you the information you need to make the best decisions for your future.

The UK is a fantastic place to study, but the landscape for long-term settlement is changing. Knowing the potential paths ahead is the first step to navigating them successfully. Written by: Harsh Shonak