Nigerians and Others Face 10-Year Wait for UK Permanent Residency

The UK will retain a standard 10-year wait, up from five, before most migrants can apply for permanent residency, with the changes expected next year and applying retrospectively. Hundreds of thousands of care workers will retain a five-year route, subject to eligibility requirements. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said migrants earning at least £50,271 and certain skilled public-sector workers can apply after five years, while those earning more than £125,000 can qualify after three. The government estimates the reforms will reduce by 500,000 the number of migrants who arrived from 2021 and could qualify by 2030, although 1.4 million are still expected to qualify.