Business news from Ukraine

The British government has unveiled a sweeping reform of the immigration system, which calls for increasing the standard period of residence required to obtain permanent residency from five to ten years. The changes could affect hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals working and living in the country.

As reported by the UK Home Office on November 2, 2026, the new model has been named “Earned Settlement.” It stipulates that the right to indefinite residence will depend not only on the number of years spent in the country, but also on income level, professional activity, tax payments, and compliance with the law.

According to the proposed rules, the standard period for obtaining permanent residency for most foreign workers will increase to ten years.
However, the government has provided for several exceptions.

Highly paid professionals will be eligible for permanent residency after just three years. For foreigners with an annual income of more than 50,271 pounds, the five-year requirement will remain in place. The same period applies to certain healthcare and education workers, including doctors, nurses, and teachers.

Special conditions have been established for certain foreign workers in the social care sector. Provided they meet the established visa requirements and have an annual income of at least 25,000 pounds, they will also be able to obtain permanent residency after five years.

At the same time, the government is tightening the requirements for applicants seeking permanent residence. Applicants will be required to demonstrate a high level of English proficiency, have no criminal convictions or outstanding debts to the government that would prevent them from obtaining permanent residence, and have made the necessary National Insurance contributions.
For those who violate immigration laws, the waiting period may be extended to at least 20 years. For certain categories of foreign nationals who crossed the border illegally, it may reach 30 years.
However, foreign nationals who have already been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) will not lose it once the reform takes effect. Current procedures will remain in place for family members of British citizens and certain other categories.
According to estimates by the British Home Office, the new requirements will lead to an increase in the waiting period for permanent residency for more than 500,000 people.

How Many Ukrainians Are in the UK

According to data from the UK Home Office published on August 27, 2026, approximately 240,000 people have arrived in the country under special visa programs for Ukrainians since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

However, as of June 30, 2026, approximately 105,600 people—or 44% of those who arrived—had left the UK. Thus, an estimated 134,000 participants in Ukrainian humanitarian programs remained in the country.

This estimate does not include Ukrainians who obtained other categories of British visas—such as work, student, or family visas—nor those who were residing in the UK before the start of the full-scale war.

Separate immigration mechanisms are in place for Ukrainian refugees. In particular, the Ukraine Permission Extension program allows them to extend their legal stay in the country. The British government has already provided for an additional 24-month extension of permits following the initial 18-month period.

However, the special humanitarian visa programs for Ukrainians do not, in and of themselves, provide for an automatic transition to permanent residence. To obtain permanent residence, one must meet the requirements of one of the immigration categories provided for by law.

Thus, the tightening of the general rules for obtaining permanent residency may be particularly significant for Ukrainians who intend to transition from temporary humanitarian status to work-based or other immigration pathways that would subsequently allow them to obtain permanent residency.

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmoud stated that the new system should take into account the actual contribution of foreign nationals to the country’s economy and public life.
The reform is expected to be implemented in phases. As of November 5, 2026, the final rules and their implementation timeline still require clarification.

Sources: UK Home Office, November 2, 2026; official immigration statistics, August 27, 2026; government briefing on support for Ukraine.