UK After Your Master’s: Graduate Route, Skilled Worker and the New 10-Year ILR Rules (2026)

For years, Indian families heard one line about the UK: study, work for five years, settle. That line is now out of date. On 2 November 2026 the Home Office published its final response on “Earned Settlement”, and it changes the maths for almost every student who goes on to work in the UK.

This guide lays out the honest version — which visas count and which don’t, the salary tiers that now decide how long you wait, a worked example with real dates, and what it all means for choosing a UK Master’s. Every figure was checked against official UK government sources in November 2026; because these rules are still being written into law, we tell you exactly where to confirm them.

What changed on 2 November 2026

The government’s response, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement (CP 1707), confirms that the starting point for ILR is now 10 years. You can settle faster by earning more or working in eligible public-service roles, and slower if you claim public funds or break immigration rules.

Policy now, law later. This is the government’s confirmed policy, but the detailed Immigration Rules and guidance have not yet been published. The government says further technical guidance will come before implementation. Settlement applications are normally decided under the rules in force on the date of decision, so anyone who doesn’t already hold ILR should plan on the new framework.

The visas on the way, and which ones count

The quiet change that matters most. Until now, Student and Graduate Route time could still build towards the separate 10-year Long Residence route. Under Earned Settlement, the government says “the Long Residence route will close” and that “temporary routes should remain temporary”. Your study and post-study years now count towards nothing on the settlement clock.

The full pathway, step by step

Step 1: Study on a Student visa

Your Master’s year is the qualifier for everything that follows, not part of the settlement clock. Use it to build the profile a sponsoring employer wants — placements, projects, networking. See our UK student visa rule changes guide for the current Student visa rules.

Step 2 (optional): The Graduate Route

The Graduate Route lets you stay and work for any employer without sponsorship. Apply on or after 1 January 2027 and you get 18 months. The application fee is £937, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of usually £1,035 a year. It’s a bridge to a sponsored job — but every month on it is a month that doesn’t count towards ILR. Our Graduate Route playbook covers how to use it well.

Step 3: Switch to Skilled Worker

You can switch to Skilled Worker from inside the UK from a Student visa (once you’ve completed your course, or in its final months with a job start date after it ends) or from the Graduate Route. The role must usually be at degree level (RQF 6) and with a Home Office-licensed sponsor.

Getting the visa and settling faster are different numbers. A new-entrant Skilled Worker salary of £33,400 gets you the visa. It does not get you the 5-year settlement route — that needs £50,271 in three of the last five years. Most graduates will be on the 10-year route for at least the first few years.

Step 4: Build towards ILR

Under Earned Settlement, how long you wait depends on what you earn and what you’ve done:

The earnings thresholds are tied to UK income-tax bands, so they will move if those bands change.

Step 5: Meet the mandatory requirements

Whatever your pathway, every applicant must also show good character and suitability, have no outstanding government debt, speak English at B2 (equivalent to A level in a foreign language, up from B1), pass the Life in the UK test, and show sustained contribution. Higher earnings cannot offset a failure on any of these.

Step 6: British citizenship

Under the current nationality rules, you can usually apply for naturalisation once you’ve held ILR for 12 months and have 5 years’ continuous lawful residence, with no more than 450 days outside the UK in those 5 years and no more than 90 days in the last 12 months. Citizenship rules sit outside the Earned Settlement response, so confirm the position on GOV.UK before planning around them.

The realistic timeline

Here is the same example as a timeline. Treat it as a planning guide, not a promise — the dates assume a sponsored job with no gaps.

Who keeps the old 5-year route?

The transitional protection is narrow. It mainly covers care workers who entered or switched into the Health and Care route before the May 2025 Immigration White Paper and meet their route’s conditions (including earning at least £25,000), and some health and education workers below degree level on national pay scales who arrived before then. Partners of British citizens, BN(O) holders and the armed forces keep their current pathways. A new student starting in 2026 or later is not covered.

UK vs Ireland after a Master’s

Compare timelines, not labels. For the full Irish picture, read our Ireland Stamp 4 and citizenship guide, and for jobs, cost and ROI side by side, see Ireland or UK in 2026.

What this means when you choose a UK Master’s

Frequently asked questions

Is it still 5 years to ILR in the UK?

Not for most people. Under Earned Settlement, the default is 10 years on a qualifying route such as Skilled Worker. Five years applies if you earn £50,271+ in three of the last five years or work in an eligible health or education public-sector role.

Does my Student visa time count towards ILR?

No. And under the new framework, Graduate Route time won’t count either, because the Long Residence route that used to absorb that time is closing.

Do I have to use the Graduate Route before Skilled Worker?

No. If you get a sponsored role, you can switch from your Student visa to Skilled Worker inside the UK once your course is complete (or in its final months, with a job start date after it ends). The Graduate Route is a bridge for people who need time to find a sponsor.

What salary do I need for a Skilled Worker visa?

Generally £41,700 and the going rate for the job, or £33,400 and 70% of the going rate if you qualify as a new entrant — which usually includes students and recent graduates. That’s the visa threshold; the faster settlement routes need £50,271 or £125,141.

Do IT or finance jobs count for the 5-year route?

Yes, if the salary is £50,271+ in three of the last five years in an eligible Skilled Worker role. The doctor, nurse and teacher route is an extra way onto the 5-year pathway, not the only one.

When do the new rules start?

The government has confirmed the policy but not a start date. The detailed Immigration Rules and guidance are still to be published. Check GOV.UK for the current position before you plan around a date.

What about British citizenship?

Under the current rules, usually 12 months after ILR, with 5 years’ continuous residence and limits on time abroad. India doesn’t allow dual citizenship, so becoming British means giving up your Indian passport and moving to an OCI card.

Is this guaranteed if I do everything right?

No immigration outcome is guaranteed, and these rules are still being finalised. A sponsored degree-level job, a clean record, no gaps and steady earnings put you in the strongest position.

How The Mentors Circle helps

We start with the end in mind: choosing a UK Master’s and university with the job market, placements and sponsoring employers in view, planning your Student visa and Graduate Route properly, and keeping your expectations honest about what comes after. The students who do best in the UK are the ones who plan for the career, not the visa.

Related reading from The Mentors Circle

• UK Graduate Route Visa 2026: the playbook
• UK student visa rule changes: what Indian applicants need to know
• Ireland after your Master’s: Stamp 1G, Stamp 4 and citizenship
• Ireland vs UK vs New Zealand: post-study work visas 2026–27
• Ireland or UK in 2026: jobs, cost and ROI
• Education loan vs family funds for UK and Ireland student visas

About The Mentors Circle. Guiding Indian students and families since 2014, and an Enterprise Ireland endorsed agent with a 97% visa success rate, we plan the full UK and Ireland journey — course and university choice, scholarships, the student visa, and an honest view of what comes after graduation. Talk to a counsellor and we’ll help you choose the course that leads where you want to go.

Sources & further reading

• UK Home Office — Earned settlement consultation and government response (A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, CP 1707), Nov 2026 (official)
• UK Home Office — Home Secretary unveils new rules for migrants settling in the UK, 2 Nov 2026 (official)
• GOV.UK — Graduate visa (duration, fee, health surcharge) (official)
• GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa (official)
• University of Sheffield — Skilled Worker visa thresholds and switching from a Student visa
• GOV.UK — Becoming a British citizen (official)

Settlement rules, visa durations, salary thresholds and fees verified November 2026 against official UK government sources. The Earned Settlement framework is announced policy and the detailed Immigration Rules are still to be published — confirm the current position on GOV.UK, and take advice from a regulated UK immigration adviser at application stage, before relying on any date or amount here. This guide is general information, not legal advice.