Will the eligibility period for applying for ILR requirements be increased from 5 years? Today, lawmakers will discuss extending the five-year qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain to ten years. MPs will discuss two petitions about the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain today, Monday, September 8.
The Committee has requested that Ben Goldsborough MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, commence the discussion at 4:30 p.m. The government will send a minister to respond, and members of all parties are welcome to participate.
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“Preserve the five-year ILR pathway for current holders of skilled worker visas.”
More than 162,000 people have signed the petition, which said: “Existing skilled worker visa holders should not be subject to the proposed 10-year ILR rule. For individuals who are currently in the UK on this visa, maintain the 5-year ILR route. Changes should only be applied to new applicants as of the implementation date.
“As with several other measures in the Immigration White Paper, the proposals on earned settlement will be subject to a formal consultation process, and we welcome this contribution to that process,” the government stated in its June 17, 2025, response to the petition.
“Retain Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visas with 5-year ILR terms.”
“We urge the Government to exempt BN(O) visa for Hongkongers from the proposed immigration reforms,” read the petition, which has amassed over 108,000 signatures. We believe that the existing ILR terms should not be altered:
1. Five years of residency in the United Kingdom
2. Proficiency in English at the B1 level
3. Getting through the Life in the UK exam.
On July 11, 2025, the Government responded to the petition by stating: “We are firmly committed to the existing Hong Kong community in the UK and all those who will arrive in future months.” In due course, more information about the Immigration White Paper’s initiatives will be provided.
Petition debates: what are they?
MPs from all parties can voice their concerns to government ministers and examine the significant issues brought up by one or more petitions during “general” debates on petitions.
A vote to enact a petition’s request does not conclude petition discussions. This indicates that at the conclusion of the debate, MPs will not cast a vote on the petitions’ proposal. Rather, the goal is to provide MPs with a chance to debate the concerns brought forth in a petition and receive a response from the government.
The Petitions Committee schedules debates on petitions. The Petitions Committee only considers electronic petitions that were initiated on the Parliament petitions website.