UK Announces Major Immigration Changes, Introduces New Waiting Periods for Ghana and Others

• UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a sweeping overhaul of immigration settlement rules on Monday, 2 November 2026
• Most migrants will now wait 10 years for permanent residency, but those earning above £50,000 annually will keep the existing five-year route
• Ghanaians in the UK will face different qualifying periods depending on their earnings, immigration category and compliance history

The United Kingdom has fundamentally restructured how foreign nationals qualify for permanent residency, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood unveiling the new Earned Settlement framework on Monday, 2 November 2026.

Under the revised system, most migrants must now complete 10 years of continuous residence before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), doubling the current five-year qualifying period.

The government framed the change as making permanent residency an earned status rather than an automatic entitlement.

New timelines based on earnings

The qualifying period a migrant faces will depend largely on annual income. Those earning below £50,000 a year will generally fall under the new 10-year route, while migrants earning above that threshold, along with eligible skilled public sector workers, will retain access to the existing five-year pathway.

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High earners bringing in more than £125,000 annually could qualify for settlement in as little as three years. Migrant care workers who arrived before May 2025 and earn at least £25,000 per year will also keep the five-year route, provided they have complied with their visa conditions.

That concession followed concerns raised by Labour lawmakers that a longer wait for care workers could worsen staffing shortages across Britain's social care sector.

The government will also require migrants to demonstrate English language proficiency at A-level standard as part of the settlement process.

Longer waits for some categories

The framework introduces considerably longer qualifying periods for other groups. Migrants who entered the UK through irregular means, such as small boat crossings, could face a wait of up to 30 years.

Those who have claimed benefits during their stay could be required to wait 20 years, while anyone with a criminal record will be barred from settlement entirely under the proposals.

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Mahmood said approximately 517,000 migrants would face delayed settlement under the revised plan. That figure represents a reduction from the 799,000 who would have been affected under an earlier version of the framework.

What it means for Ghanaians in the UK

For Ghanaians living and working in the United Kingdom, the applicable waiting period will vary considerably.

Those in higher-paying roles earning above £50,000, or in eligible public service positions, retain the five-year route.

The majority earning below that threshold will move onto the new 10-year pathway, while those with compliance issues, benefit claims, or irregular entry histories could face significantly longer waits before qualifying for permanent residency.

UK releases official cost of 10-year British passport for applicants

Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that the UK government had announced the official fees for obtaining a British passport.

Adults applying for a standard 10-year passport online will pay £88.50, while those who choose to submit a paper application will be charged £100.

Source: YEN.com.gh