The Quickest Ways to Get ILR in the UK
In This Article:
In this first of two posts, we provide an overview of some of the shortest qualifying periods for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) among UK work and business routes. For a person making a new application, the Global Talent and Innovator Founder routes can each lead to settlement after three years. The two-year Tier 1 Investor and three-year Tier 1 Entrepreneur options are now confined to limited legacy applicants under closed routes and strict deadlines.
This post focuses on main applicants and the routes listed below; it is not an exhaustive account of every basis on which settlement may be granted. Other five-year work and business routes to settlement are considered in the next post in this series. Dependent partners may also have a different qualifying period from the main applicant.
1. What Is Indefinite Leave to Remain?
Indefinite Leave to Remain, also known as settlement, normally allows a person to live, work and study in the UK without a time limit and to apply for benefits if eligible. It may also be an important step towards British citizenship by naturalisation.
ILR is not British citizenship and does not provide unrestricted freedom of movement. It will normally lapse if the holder remains outside the UK for more than two continuous years, although longer periods and other exceptions apply in some cases. The requirements for obtaining ILR depend on the immigration route, the qualifying period and the applicant’s compliance with the route-specific settlement rules.
2. What Are the Shortest Work and Business Routes to ILR?
Global Talent Route
The Global Talent route remains open to new main applicants. It is for people aged 18 or over who can demonstrate exceptional talent or exceptional promise in science, engineering, humanities, social science, medicine, digital technology or arts and culture. Most applicants require an endorsement, although a person with an eligible prestigious prize can qualify without one.
Settlement can be available after three years where the applicant:
- was endorsed by the Royal Society, the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering or UK Research and Innovation;
- was endorsed under the exceptional talent criteria by Arts Council England or Tech Nation; or
- was granted their initial Global Talent application on the basis of a prize listed in Appendix Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes.
A five-year qualifying period applies where the applicant was endorsed under the exceptional promise criteria by Arts Council England or Tech Nation. The qualifying period may include time with permission in certain other work and business routes listed in Appendix Global Talent; it does not have to consist entirely of Global Talent permission.
The relevant endorsement must not have been withdrawn, and the applicant must have earned money in the UK in the field in which they were endorsed or a field related to the subject of their qualifying prize. They must also meet the continuous residence requirement, the English-language requirement and the Knowledge of Life in the UK requirement. For settlement applications made before 26 March 2027, the Global Talent English requirement is normally level B1 speaking and listening; for applications made on or after that date, it is to be level B2, unless an exemption applies.
Innovator Founder Route
The Innovator Founder route replaced the Innovator route. It is for founders who wish to establish an innovative, viable and scalable business in the UK based on an idea they generated or to which they made a significant contribution. The application must be supported by an approved endorsing body, and the founder must have a key day-to-day role in developing the business.
There is no longer a general fixed £50,000 minimum investment requirement for an initial Innovator Founder application. However, the business plan must be realistic and achievable in light of the resources available. A route holder may work for their own business and may also undertake other employment in a role requiring at least RQF level 3, subject to the restriction on supplying their labour to another business through their own business or an agency.
ILR can be obtained after three years using Innovator Founder or predecessor Innovator permission. Time spent on another route, including the Start-up route, cannot be included in this three-year qualifying period.
Applicants for settlement will require a new endorsement letter which must confirm significant achievements against the previously assessed business plan, that the business is active, trading and sustainable, and that the applicant has an active key role. The business must also meet at least two of the following seven criteria in Appendix Innovator Founder:
- at least £50,000 has been invested into the business and actively spent in furthering it;
- the number of customers has at least doubled within the most recent three years and is above the mean for comparable UK businesses;
- the business has carried out significant research and development and applied for intellectual property protection in the UK;
- the business generated at least £1 million annual gross revenue in its last full accounting year;
- the business generated at least £500,000 annual gross revenue, including at least £100,000 from exports, in its last full accounting year;
- the business created the equivalent of at least 10 full-time jobs for settled workers; or
- the business created the equivalent of at least 5 full-time jobs for settled workers, each with a mean salary of at least £25,000 a year.
The applicant must meet the continuous residence and Knowledge of Life in the UK requirements. Innovator Founder applicants are normally required to demonstrate English at level B2 (reading, writing, speaking and listening) when obtaining initial permission on the route, unless exempt.
3. Closed Tier 1 Routes: Limited Legacy Applicants
Part 6A of the Immigration Rules and Appendix A retain limited settlement arrangements for people already within the closed Tier 1 Investor and Tier 1 Entrepreneur routes. These are not options for a new applicant.
Tier 1 Investor Settlement
The Tier 1 Investor route closed to new initial applications at 4pm on 17 February 2022. The deadline for leave-to-remain applications was 17 February 2026 and has now passed. An eligible legacy applicant must make any Tier 1 Investor settlement application before 17 February 2028.
Settlement can be available after two years for a qualifying £10 million investment, three years for a qualifying £5 million investment, or five years for a qualifying £2 million investment. Applicants who initially entered the route before 6 November 2014 may fall within separate transitional provisions, including a £1 million five-year investment level. Detailed rules govern the type, timing and maintenance of the investment.
The applicant must also satisfy the applicable continuous residence, English-language and Knowledge of Life in the UK requirements. Investment level alone is not sufficient.
Tier 1 Entrepreneur Settlement
The general Tier 1 Entrepreneur settlement deadline was before 6 April 2025 and has passed. A narrow group of applicants who previously held Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) permission may still apply for settlement before 6 July 2027. Exceptional cases may also arise where a late grant followed a successful Administrative Review, appeal or judicial review.
For a person who remains eligible, the accelerated qualifying period is three years where the applicant created at least 10 qualifying full-time jobs, established a new business with at least £5 million gross income from business activity, or generated a £5 million net increase in gross income after taking over or investing in an existing business. Otherwise, the standard qualifying period is five years.
The detailed genuine entrepreneur, investment, business activity, job creation, continuous residence, English-language and Knowledge of Life in the UK requirements continue to apply. Given the narrow cohort and approaching deadline, eligibility should be checked against the applicant’s full immigration history and the transitional Rules.
4. Which Route Is Quickest for a New Applicant?
For a person making a new work or business application, the realistic three-year routes considered in this article are Global Talent and Innovator Founder. The right route depends on the applicant’s field, endorsement prospects, business plans and ability to meet the settlement requirements from the outset. The two-year Tier 1 Investor route and three-year Tier 1 Entrepreneur route are only relevant to limited legacy applicants.
5. Contact our Immigration Barristers
For expert advice and assistance in relation to ILR requirements and applications, or to discuss the quickest settlement route available in your circumstances, please contact our immigration barristers in London on 0203 617 9173 or via the enquiry form below.
6. Frequently Asked Questions: The Quickest Ways to Get ILR in the UK
What is the fastest ILR route for a new work or business applicant?
Among the routes covered in this article, Global Talent and Innovator Founder can each lead a new main applicant to ILR after three years. Eligibility depends on meeting all route-specific settlement requirements, not simply completing the period.
Can a new applicant use the Tier 1 Investor or Tier 1 Entrepreneur route?
No. Both routes are closed to new applicants. Only limited legacy applicants can still qualify for settlement, and the remaining deadlines are strict.
Is £50,000 required for an Innovator Founder application?
There is no fixed £50,000 minimum investment requirement for an initial Innovator Founder application. The business must nevertheless be credible and adequately resourced, and £50,000 invested and spent is one of seven possible settlement criteria.
Can Innovator or Start-up time count towards Innovator Founder settlement?
Time with predecessor Innovator permission can count within the three-year Innovator Founder qualifying period. Time on the Start-up route or another visa does not count towards that three-year period.
Can time on other visas count towards Global Talent ILR?
Yes, in some cases. Appendix Global Talent permits specified combinations of Global Talent, Innovator Founder and several other work or business routes to count towards the three-year or five-year period.
Do dependent partners settle at the same time as the main applicant?
Not necessarily. A dependent partner normally has their own qualifying-period and eligibility requirements and may need further permission after an accelerated main applicant settles.
Do I need English and the Life in the UK Test for these routes?
Route-specific rules apply. Global Talent settlement normally requires English and Knowledge of Life in the UK, with the English level rising from B1 to B2 on 26 March 2027. Innovator Founder permission normally requires B2 English, and settlement requires Knowledge of Life in the UK. Exemptions may apply.
Can ILR lapse after it is granted?
Yes. Most ILR will normally lapse after more than two continuous years outside the UK, although different periods and exceptions apply in certain circumstances.
Please note that the information provided in this article is for general guidance only and is based on the immigration rules and policies in force at the date of publication. Immigration law and Home Office policy can change frequently, and requirements may vary depending on individual circumstances. Legal advice should always be sought in relation to your specific situation.
