Earned Settlement Checker

Refugees on resettlement and other safe and legal routes: settlement after 5 years

The government says refugees admitted through designated Safe and Legal routes qualify for settlement after five years. This is meant to encourage people to use controlled and managed routes.

The designated routes include the UK Resettlement Scheme and specified resettlement and sponsorship routes. Entering on another visa and later claiming asylum does not put someone on this five-year pathway.

Worked example. The dates below are illustrative, calculated as of 2 November 2026. They assume every other requirement is met.

Earliest settlement: January 2029 (5-year pathway)

On what you told us, your route leads to a 5-year pathway.

Pathway
5-year pathway
Earliest date
January 2029

Why this pathway

  • Refugees admitted through designated Safe and Legal routes (the UK Resettlement Scheme and specified resettlement and sponsorship routes) qualify after five years. Claiming asylum after arriving on another visa does not put you on this pathway.

Before you apply

  • Met No criminal record
  • Met No outstanding government debt
  • Met English at A2 (UK Resettlement Scheme) or B2 (other safe and legal routes)
  • Met Life in the UK testYou told us you are exempt.
  • Met Public fundsRefugees admitted through Safe and Legal routes are exempt from the five-year public funds requirement.
  • Met No immigration breach as an adult

Good to know

  • Only time on routes that count towards settlement builds your qualifying period. Time on temporary routes such as Student or Graduate does not.
  • Estimates assume continuous lawful residence. Rules on absences from the UK are not covered here.
  • The government response does not give an implementation date and says further guidance will follow. Applications are normally decided under the rules in force on the date of the decision, so treat dates as estimates.

Based on A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: Government Response to the Consultation (CP 1707), Home Office, November 2026. Rules as of 2 November 2026. General information only, not immigration advice.

Check your own situation

Frequently asked questions

Do these refugees need good English?

Refugees admitted through the UK Resettlement Scheme need A2 (basic) English rather than B2. They are also exempt from the Life in the UK test until a version suitable for that level is available.

Are they affected by the public funds rule?

No. Refugees admitted through Safe and Legal routes are exempt from the requirement not to have accessed public funds in the five years before settlement.

General information only. This is not immigration advice and is not affiliated with the Home Office or GOV.UK. Rules may change and guidance is still to come. For advice on your own case, speak to an OISC-regulated adviser or a solicitor.

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