More than 20,000 skilled workers are preparing to take legal action against the Home Office if the government applies proposed immigration changes retrospectively.
Skilled Migrants Alliance Limited, an organisation set up to protect the rights of legal skilled migrants, says the proposal would be “inhumane and unfair” for those who entered the country under clearly defined rules.
Thousands of migrants who moved to Britain in recent years now face growing uncertainty as the government considers plans to extend the qualifying period for settlement. Under proposals currently being discussed, the minimum time required to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) could be doubled from five years to ten years.
In an exclusive interview with The Giste, Kumar Roshan, Communications and Marketing Manager for the migrant advocacy group, said: “Many of us came to the UK under the Skilled Worker visa with a clear understanding that after five years of lawful residence we would be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. When we arrived, this pathway was clearly stated through the conditions attached to our visas and the Biometric Residence Permit cards issued to us.”
Mr. Roshan said that the proposed extension of the settlement route to ten years and potentially even longer is creating deep uncertainty among migrants who have already committed their lives to the country.
“Families moved here, careers have been built, and children started their education based on the understanding that the five-year route would remain in place. When the goalposts are moved halfway through the process, it creates instability not only for individuals but for entire families who are trying to build their future in Britain.
“Governments have the right to set immigration policy, and we respect that. What we are saying is that those already in the system should not be affected by retrospective changes. If today it becomes ten years or even fifteen years, what guarantee do migrants have that a future government will not extend it further to twenty years or introduce even stricter requirements?
He added that migrants across all sectors contribute significantly to the UK economy and society. “Everyone who works, pays taxes, and follows the law is contributing to this country. The principle we are asking for is simple: fairness. Changes to immigration policy should apply to future entrants, but those who arrived under the five-year route should be allowed to complete the pathway they were promised.”
“Our intention is not to challenge the government unnecessarily, but to ensure that the principles of fairness and consistency, values that Britain has always stood for are upheld for the migrants who are already part of this society.”
“We Are Not Statistics or Policy Numbers”
Priya and her husband Mahesh arrived in the United Kingdom in 2022 on Skilled Worker visas, leaving behind their extended families and stable lives in the hope of building a future through work and contribution.
She told SGM: “We came here legally, with skills and with respect for the rules of this country. The agreement clearly, work hard, follow the rules for five years, and then apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.”
During their time in Britain, the couple welcomed their daughter, who was born in the UK and has known no other home. Priya said the five-year route to settlement became the foundation around which they planned their lives.
“Every sacrifice we made, missing family events back home, working long hours, and paying thousands in visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge was tied to one goal: reaching July 2027 and finally having stability.
“The thought that after doing everything right we might suddenly be told to wait another five years feels like the finish line has been moved just as we were getting close. We are not statistics or policy numbers. We are a young family trying to give our child security.”
Priya said the uncertainty has created constant anxiety for families already partway through the system.
“Our daughter understands her nursery friends, the park down the road, and that this is her home. She doesn’t understand visas or immigration policies. It’s difficult to explain that her future could depend on political decisions.”
She added that the financial burden of repeated visa applications is significant, but the emotional toll is even greater. “When rules change halfway through, it breaks trust. Families like ours came here believing that if we worked hard, followed the law and contributed to society, we would be treated fairly.”
“We are not asking for special treatment,” she said. “We are simply asking that the promise we built our lives around, the five-year route to settlement is honoured for those who entered the system in good faith.”
Similarly, Muhammad M moved to the United Kingdom with his wife and three children in February 2022 after more than two decades of professional stability in Kuwait. At the time, he was 44 and said relocating his family was the biggest risk he had taken in his life.
“The UK offered something very clear, a rules-based five-year pathway to settlement under the Skilled Worker route,” he said.
“After 23 years building a stable career abroad, I left everything behind because the immigration rules were explicit: work lawfully for five years, contribute, and you can apply to settle.”
Now 48, Muhammad says the prospect of the settlement period being extended to ten years has left his family deeply concerned about their future.
“We did not come here for benefits,” he said. “Skilled Workers are not allowed to access public funds. We came for education, safety and the rule of law, and from the day we arrived we have contributed fully.”
The 48-year-old said the financial commitment his family has made since arriving has been substantial. Adding that his family already paid around £22,000 in visa fees and Immigration Health Surcharge payments excluding income and other taxes.
Muhammad said his children have built their lives in Britain and are now progressing through the UK education system. His eldest daughter completed sixth form in London and now studies at Queen Mary University of London as an international student, while his son has received university offers for 2026 and his youngest daughter is currently in secondary school.
“Every financial decision we made as a family was structured around the five-year settlement timeline that the UK itself published.”
“For us this is not just a technical policy change. It would mean five more years of visa renewals, more fees, and five more years tied to employer sponsorship before we can plan long-term stability or even think about buying a home.”
Muhammad added that delaying settlement would also affect his long-term financial security. “At my age, time matters. Extending the pathway until my mid-50s changes my retirement planning and my ability to rebuild the savings I sacrificed to move here.”
He said retrospective changes could also have wider consequences for migrants and employers alike. “Many businesses rely on Skilled Workers who have already served for years. Prolonging temporary status increases costs for employers and creates instability for families.
“Immigration policy is often discussed in numbers,” he said. “But behind those numbers are families who made life-changing decisions based on the rules that were given to them. We came here believing those rules would be respected.”
Muhammad said his family still hopes the government will consider the impact of retrospective changes on migrants already contributing to British society.
Families in Sunderland say the prospect of extending the settlement pathway for skilled workers is creating growing anxiety in communities where many migrants work in essential sectors.
Tiaya and Ravi Subijit moved to Sunderland in 2021 after Ravi secured a Skilled Worker visa to work as a health care support assistant in the region. The couple say they chose the UK specifically because the immigration system offered a clear five-year route to settlement.
“We left stable jobs and our extended family because the rules were clear,” Tiaya said. “We understood that if we worked, paid our taxes and followed the law for five years, we could apply for settlement and build a long-term future here.”
Since arriving, Ravi has been working full time while Tiya works part-time in a local pharmacy. Their two children now attend primary school in Sunderland and have quickly adapted to life in the city.
“The children have made friends, joined school clubs and see this as home,” the mother of two said. “When we hear discussions about extending the settlement period, it creates real worry for families like ours who have already built our lives around the five-year pathway.”
Many skilled workers say they came to the UK with the understanding that if they followed immigration rules, paid taxes and contributed to the economy, they would be eligible for settlement after five years. That expectation shaped major life decisions, including relocating families, enrolling children in schools and building careers in Britain.
Campaigners warn that changing the rules midway through the process risks undermining trust in the immigration system and destabilising thousands of families who are already partway through their route to settlement.
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