Is settlement reform rewarding contribution, or rewriting the rules of fairness and trust?
The Government’s Earned Settlement consultation, has launched, represents the most far-reaching change in how long people must live in the UK before being allowed to settle.
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The proposal doubles the standard qualifying period for most from five to ten years and ties settlement to contribution, income, tax history and community participation, creating a new hierarchy of who can call the UK home and suggesting that the qualifying period for some could be trebled or even quadrupled.
Many employers will welcome elements of this. The focus on contribution and self-sufficiency will resonate with those who value a system that rewards effort and success.
High earners stand to benefit: those earning £125,140 or more could qualify for settlement in three years while those earning above £50,270 may do so in five. For employers of global talent, this means stronger retention and lower long-term visa costs.
Yet the detail also raises questions of fairness. Those who have sponsored workers in below degree level roles could find themselves paying visa fees for 15 years (at a cost of £39K at current levels).
Dependants will be assessed individually, meaning partners earning less could face a longer or even closed route to settlement. Children who turn 18 during a ten-year visa cycle may need to start again.
There is also a question of whether discounts based on fixed earnings threshold accommodate regional disparities.
The Government intends to apply these reforms to everyone who has not yet reached settlement, effectively moving the goalposts mid-flight.
The consultation, open until 12 February 2026, therefore offers a vital opportunity for employers to make their voices heard — on fairness, on dependants, and on how contribution should be measured.
Once enacted, these structural changes will be hard to unpick.
If business remains silent, it will inherit a system designed without its input. Now is the time to speak, to ensure that contribution is recognised without sacrificing confidence, fairness and trust in the UK’s immigration framework.
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Shuyeb Muquit is the UK Government Affairs Strategy Director at global immigration advisers Fragomen.
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