The ten-year route to settlement has not yet become an operative rule

The current position

The GOV.UK Global Talent page continues to state that settlement may be available after three or five years, depending on the field and the basis on which permission was granted.

The consultation proposal

The consultation model used a ten-year baseline with possible reductions for contribution, income and presence on particular routes. A seven-year reduction after three years of continuous residence was discussed for Global Talent and Innovator Founder.

A consultation indicates a policy direction. It does not create a new entitlement or replace the Immigration Rules in force.

How to plan

We separate two scenarios: the plan under current rules and a contingency calculation for possible reform. Neither a ten-year period nor the preservation of a three-year period can be promised on the basis of a consultation paper alone.