UK Doubles Permanent Residency Wait to 10 Years for Most Migrants

The UK is raising the standard wait for permanent residency from five to 10 years under new rules announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on November 2. The Earned Settlement model ties eligibility to earnings, conduct and contribution: most workers earning under £50,271 will wait 10 years, those above that threshold retain a five-year route, and people earning more than £125,000 can apply after three years. Care workers who meet visa conditions and earn at least £25,000, along with doctors, nurses, teachers and other qualifying public service workers, will retain a five-year route. The changes could affect many of the roughly 144,000 Kenyans living in the UK, although certain existing visa holders will receive transitional protections.