Skilled Worker Indefinite Leave to Remain Success Story
Background
We successfully assisted a Skilled Worker migrant with their application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) following completion of the required five-year qualifying period.
By carefully calculating the client's qualifying period, we identified that the application could be submitted within 28 days before the five-year qualifying period was completed, allowing the client to apply at the earliest available opportunity.
The application was submitted using the Super Priority Service and was approved within just a few hours of the client's biometric appointment.
Our Challenge
The client had completed almost five years of continuous residence in the UK under qualifying immigration routes and wished to secure ILR without unnecessarily waiting beyond the earliest date permitted under the Immigration Rules.
A key part of the case was accurately establishing the client's qualifying period and determining the earliest date on which the ILR application could be submitted.
Our Approach
We began by reviewing the client's complete immigration history, including previous Skilled Worker grants and their dates of permission.
Having established the qualifying date, we advised that the client could submit their ILR application up to 28 days before completing the five-year qualifying period.
We carefully analysed the client's absences from the UK during the qualifying period and assessed these against the continuous residence requirements. We also reviewed their employment documentation, salary and sponsorship arrangements.
Once we had established the client's eligibility, we prepared the ILR application and supporting documentation, ensuring that the evidence provided addressed the relevant requirements. The application was then submitted using the Super Priority Service.
Our Outcome
The client's ILR application was approved within just a few hours of their biometric appointment.
By identifying the earliest permissible application date and using the Super Priority Service, we helped the client secure settlement quickly and avoid the need for a further Skilled Worker visa extension.
Summary
This case highlights the importance of reviewing a Skilled Worker migrant's immigration history well in advance of an ILR application.
Issues such as qualifying-period dates, absences from the UK, previous immigration permission and employment requirements can all affect eligibility for settlement.
Early specialist advice allowed us to identify the earliest available application date, prepare the case in advance and secure a successful outcome within hours of the client's biometric appointment.
