Overview
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also known as settlement, in the UK is possible through a variety of different routes, and how you gain it depends on the type of visas you hold/have held and over what period of time.
The most common route for University staff to gain ILR is through one of the following:
- The three-year Global Talent route
- The five-year Skilled Worker route
- The ten-year “long residence” route
These guidance pages cover these routes only, and are designed to address straightforward cases. If, having read this guidance, you are unsure about your eligibility for ILR through any of the above routes, please seek further guidance from the HR Compliance Team.
Note for EU/EEA/Swiss nationalsIndefinite Leave to Remain is a separate legal route to ‘Settled Status’ under the EU Settlement Scheme. If you hold ‘Pre-Settled Status’ under the EU Settlement Scheme and wish to apply for ‘Settled Status’, please visit the information pages on gov.uk. |
Version: 12
Last updated: June 2025
Owner: HR Compliance Team