The UK government has published the conditions that Scale-up Worker visa holders must meet to qualify for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), which grants permanent residence in the country. According to official guidance, ILR — also referred to as "settlement" — gives a person the right to live, work, and study in the UK without any time restriction. It also serves as a pathway to applying for British citizenship.
Three Conditions for Scale-up Workers Seeking ILR
The UK government listed the following conditions for Scale-up Worker visa holders seeking settlement:
- You must have lived and worked in the UK for five years, subject to rules governing what qualifies as time spent in the country.
- You must meet the financial requirements set by the Home Office.
- If you are aged between 18 and 64, you must book and pass the Life in the UK Test.
Applicants do not need to prove English language proficiency again at the settlement stage, as this was already assessed during the original visa application.
Fees and Processing Times for ILR Applications
Each applicant is required to pay £3,226 (roughly ₦6.4 million) to apply. Partners and children who are eligible may be included on the same application form, with each person paying the same fee. All applicants must provide biometric information, meaning fingerprints and a photograph, at no additional cost. A decision is typically issued within six months of the biometrics appointment.
Applicants must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man while their application is being processed. Doing so will result in the application being withdrawn.
Priority Services and Application Timing
Those who need a faster outcome can pay an additional £500 for the priority service, which delivers a decision within five working days. A super priority service is also available for an extra £1,000, offering a decision by the end of the next working day following the biometrics appointment on weekdays, or within two working days if the appointment falls on a weekend.
The government also advised applicants not to wait until their current visa expires before applying. Anyone whose Scale-up Worker visa lapses before they become eligible for ILR will need to renew it first. The earliest an application can be submitted is 28 days before the five-year qualifying period is completed. Applications made before this window opens risk being refused.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK had listed five conditions for parents to get permanent residence through their children. The full guidance, published on the UK government's official website, makes clear that a parent's child must be living in the UK and must either already be settled there as a British citizen or a person with ILR, or be applying for ILR at the same time as the parent. Regardless of route, parents aged 18 to 64 must pass the Life in the UK Test and meet English language requirements at a minimum B1 level in speaking and listening, or hold a degree taught or researched in English.
