PETITIONRejectedPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Stop retrospective ILR changes for current skilled worker visa holders
We ask the UK Government to ensure that any changes to the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) for skilled worker visa holders are not applied retrospectively. People who are already in the UK on work visas should remain eligible for ILR under the current 5-year rule.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
10
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 10/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 10/100,000
Background
Many skilled workers moved to the UK legally, trusting the 5-year ILR pathway. We’ve built lives, careers, and families here based on this rule. Changing it to 10 years and applying it retrospectively is unfair and disruptive. We urge the Government to protect those already on the 5-year path and apply any new rules only to future applicants. Retrospective changes undermine trust and harm the lives of hardworking, law-abiding residents.