Retain 5 Year ILR & Citizenship Route, Delay Public Funds Access Until Year 10
Retain the 5-year path to ILR and British citizenship for Skilled Worker migrants, but extend the no recourse to public funds period to 10 years. We believe this would balance and uphold the UK’s promise to migrants to make it their home via 5-year ILR path while easing pressure on public resources.
Signatures
4,938
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 4,938/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 4,938/100,000
- 24 JAN 2026Petition closedFinal total: 4,938 signatures
- 24 JUL 2025Petition opened for signatures
Background
We believe extending the ILR period to 10 years breaks trust with Skilled Workers who built and planned their lives around the 5 year route. To address public spending concerns, we suggest delaying access to public funds for a total of 10 years for those who have newly obtained ILR or citizenship. We believe this would preserve the original promise, deters misuse, and maintain public confidence. We believe it would also protect genuine migrants from reactive policy changes driven by rising net migration and spending pressures.