Petition

Protect Skilled Worker Visa Holders from Retroactive ILR Rule Changes

Rejected 15 signatures

What the petition asks

We call on the Government to:
- Introduce grandfathering protections for current Skilled Worker visa holders, allowing them to apply for ILR after 5 years as originally promised.
- Provide clarity and reassurance as soon as possible, to prevent instability for workers, families, and employers.
Applying the new settlement rules retroactively would unfairly penalize people who have followed the rules, built careers, paid taxes, & contributed to society under the current immigration framework.

Skilled migrants have contributed to the UK economy through critical sectors including healthcare, education, tech, engineering, & finance. They have stood by the UK, especially during the pandemic and now during a challenging economic period. It is only fair that the UK stands by them in return.

Why it was rejected

There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.

You may wish to sign the following petition, which calls for similar action:

Keep the 5-Year ILR pathway for existing Skilled Worker visa holders
Keep the 5-Year ILR pathway for existing Skilled Worker visa holders

Timeline

14 May 2025 Petition opened for signatures
23 May 2025 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 15
Status Rejected
Rejected 23 May 2025

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Aug 2026.