No, for the 5-year route; yes for the 10-year route. Time on the UK Graduate visa does not count towards 5-year indefinite leave to remain (ILR) on the Skilled Worker or other work routes. It does count towards the 10-year long residence route, together with your earlier Student visa time, as long as your residence is continuous.
| Question | Answer |
| Does the Graduate visa count towards 5-year ILR? | No |
| Does it count towards 10-year long residence? | Yes |
| Does Student visa time count towards 10-year long residence? | Yes |
| Can I apply for ILR while on a Graduate visa? | Only if I’ve reached 10 years’ lawful residence |
| Can I extend the Graduate visa? | No |
| Are the rules changing? | ️ “Earned settlement” has been proposed but is not law as of 30 Sep 2026 |
Key takeaways
- The Graduate visa can’t be extended. Switch to a new visa before it expires.
- Under 3 years of Student and Graduate time combined → the 5-year Skilled Worker route is usually faster.
- 3 or more years combined → 10-year long residence may be as fast or faster.
- ️Keep a travel log from day one. Absences can quietly break your residence.
- ️Settlement rules are under review. Check GOV.UK before you apply.
What is ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain)?
Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is permission to live, work, and study in the UK with no time limit. It’s often called “settlement” or, informally, “permanent residency”. ILR is usually the step before applying for British citizenship.
What is the Graduate visa?
The Graduate visa is a post-study work visa for people who have completed an eligible UK degree on a Student visa. It lets you work, or look for work, without a sponsor for 2 years (18 months for applications from 1 January 2027), or 3 years after a PhD.
Does The Graduate Visa Count Towards ILR?
The Graduate visa counts towards ILR only through the 10-year long residence route. It isn’t a settlement route, so it doesn’t count towards the 5-year qualifying period for Skilled Worker, Global Talent or other work routes. Graduate time counts only as lawful residence.
| ILR route | Does Graduate visa time count? | Source |
| Skilled Worker (5 years) | No | Appendix Skilled Worker |
| Global Talent (3 or 5 years) | No | Appendix Global Talent |
| Innovator Founder (3 years) | No | Appendix Innovator Founder |
| Family/partner (5 years) | No | Appendix FM |
| Long residence (10 years) | Yes | Appendix Long Residence |
Does the Graduate Route Count Towards the 5-Year ILR Route?
No. Your 5-year clock starts on the day your first settlement-route visa begins, usually a Skilled Worker visa. Two years on a Graduate visa followed by three years on a Skilled Worker visa gives you three qualifying years, not five.
Which visas count towards the 5-year Skilled Worker ILR?
| Visa | Counts towards the 5-year period? | Counts towards 10-year long residence? |
| Skilled Worker / Tier 2 (General) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Talent | Yes | Yes |
| Innovator Founder / Innovator | Yes | Yes |
| Scale-up | Yes | Yes |
| Graduate | No | Yes |
| Student / Tier 4 | No | Yes |
| High Potential Individual | No | Yes |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | No | Yes |
| Visitor | No | No |
Can Graduate visa and Skilled Worker visa years be combined?
They can be combined only for the 10-year long residence route, not the 5-year Skilled Worker route. For 5-year ILR, only time on qualifying routes counts. For long residence, Student, Graduate and Skilled Worker time all add up, as long as there are no gaps.
| Your history | Years towards 5-year ILR | Years towards 10-year long residence |
| 2 years Graduate + 3 years Skilled Worker | 3 | 5 |
| 1 year Student + 2 years Graduate + 5 years Skilled Worker | 5 | 8 |
| 4 years Student + 3 years Graduate + 3 years Skilled Worker | 3 | 10 |
Does the Graduate Visa Count Towards the 10-Year Long Residence Route?
Yes. Graduate visa time counts as lawful residence for 10-year-long residence ILR. Under Appendix Long Residence, you can combine almost any visas, including Student, Graduate and Skilled Worker, as long as there are no gaps and your absences stay within the limits.
When does the 10-year clock start?
- If you came to the UK with a visa: usually the date you first arrived with valid permission.
- If you got permission while already in the UK: the date that permission was granted.
- Visitor time doesn’t count.
What counts as continuous residence?
Continuous residence has two tests. You need to pass both:
- No gaps in permission. You must have held valid permission the whole time. A gap can be disregarded only in limited cases, such as an application made within 14 days of expiry with a good reason. Don’t rely on this exception.
- Absences within the limits:
| When you were abroad | Absence rule (summary) |
| On or after 11 April 2024 | No more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period |
| Before 11 April 2024 | Assessed under the previous long residence rules. Check the Home Office Long Residence guidance. |
| COVID-19 disruption | Concessions may apply if you have evidence |
“Any 12-month period” means rolling windows, not calendar years. For example, 100 days abroad from June to September 2025 plus 90 days from January to March 2026 comes to 190 days in one 12-month window. That’s over the limit.
Can You Apply for ILR While on a Graduate Visa?
Yes, but only through the 10-year long residence route. The Graduate visa has no settlement route of its own. But if you’ve had 10 years of continuous lawful residence, you can apply for long residence ILR while holding a Graduate visa, without needing a sponsor.
This mainly applies to:
- People who came to the UK as child students (for example, for sixth form or boarding school)
- People who did several degrees back to back (such as a foundation year, BSc, MSc and PhD)
- PhD graduates on the 3-year doctoral Graduate visa
Example: Tomás arrived in September 2016 and studied a BSc, an MSc and then a PhD (2016–2024). He got a 3-year Graduate visa in January 2025 and reaches 10 years in September 2026, while still on his Graduate visa. If his absences are within the limits, he can apply for long residence ILR.
Does Time as a Student Count Towards ILR?
Student visa time counts towards 10-year long residence but not towards 5-year ILR. This applies to time on the current Student visa and the older Tier 4 visa, as long as there are no gaps between visas and your absences stay within the limits.
5-Year Skilled Worker Route vs 10-Year Long Residence: Which Is Faster?
If you spent less than 3 years on Student and Graduate visas combined, the 5-year Skilled Worker route is usually faster. If you spent 3 years or more, long residence may be as fast or faster. Many people keep both options open by staying on Skilled Worker.
Route comparison
| Feature | 5-year Skilled Worker ILR | 10-year long residence ILR |
| Time needed | 5 years on qualifying routes | 10 years’ lawful residence on any visa |
| Graduate and Student time counts? | ||
| Sponsor needed? | Yes | No |
| Salary requirement at ILR stage? | Yes | No |
| Absence limit | 180 days in any 12 months | 180 days in any 12 months (older rules for time before April 2024) |
| Can you change employer? | Only to another sponsor | Any lawful visa |
| Affected by earned settlement proposals? | ️ Yes (baseline would be 10 years) | ️ Yes (route would be absorbed) |
ILR timeline by degree type
“Year” means years since you first arrived on a Student visa. These timelines assume you switch straight to Skilled Worker with no gaps.
| Graduate profile | Pre-switch time | 5-year route | Long residence | Faster |
| 1-year master’s | 3 years | Year 8 | Year 10 | 5-year |
| 1-year master’s (Graduate visa applied for in 2027) | 2.5 years | Year 7.5 | Year 10 | 5-year |
| 3-year bachelor’s | 5 years | Year 10 | Year 10 | Equal |
| Bachelor’s + master’s | 6 years | Year 11 | Year 10 | Long residence |
| 4-year PhD | 7 years | Year 12 | Year 10 | Long residence |
How to Switch From the Graduate Visa to an ILR-Qualifying Visa
To switch from the Graduate visa to a Skilled Worker visa:
- Note your Graduate visa expiry date. Your next application must be made before it.
- Target licensed sponsors. Check the Register of Licensed Sponsors.
- Check the job’s skill level. Most new roles must be RQF level 6 or above.
- Check the salary. You can usually use the new entrant rate (70% of the going rate) for up to 4 years in total, including your Graduate visa time.
- Check the English requirement. A UK degree taught in English usually meets it.
- Get your Certificate of Sponsorship from your employer.
- Apply from inside the UK before your Graduate visa expires. Section 3C keeps your current permission going while the decision is made.
- Keep records from day one: travel dates, payslips and your eVisa history.
Graduate visa vs Skilled Worker visa
| Feature | Graduate visa | Skilled Worker visa |
| Sponsor needed | No | Yes |
| Minimum salary | None | Yes (general or new entrant rate) |
| Length | 2 years / 18 months (from 2027) / 3 years (PhD) | Up to 5 years per grant |
| Can be extended | No | Yes |
| Counts towards 5-year ILR | No | Yes |
| Self-employment allowed | Yes | No (limited exceptions) |
| New dependants allowed | Only existing Student dependants | Generally yes |
Salary figures change often. Check the current thresholds on the Skilled Worker visa page.
Current ILR Pathways After the Graduate Visa
| Route | Time to ILR | |
| Skilled Worker | 5 years | |
| Long residence | 10 years in total | |
| Global Talent | 3 or 5 years (depends on category) | |
| Innovator Founder | 3 years | |
| Scale-up | 5 years | |
| Partner (Appendix FM) | 5 years |
The High Potential Individual visa doesn’t lead to ILR and isn’t open to people who have already held a Graduate visa.
Common Mistakes That Delay ILR
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
| Assuming Graduate years count towards 5-year ILR | Planning around the wrong ILR date | Count only from your Skilled Worker start date |
| Letting the Graduate visa expire | Breaks lawful residence, and the clock resets | Apply before it expires, and start job hunting 9–12 months early |
| Over 180 days abroad in a 12-month window | Breaks continuous residence | Keep a rolling travel log |
| Switching to a route that doesn’t qualify | Stops the 5-year clock | Check Appendix Skilled Worker before switching |
| Relying on the new entrant salary at ILR | ILR refused | Plan pay rises to meet the general threshold |
| Sponsor licence revoked or redundancy | Permission usually cut to 60 days | Act immediately to find a new sponsor |
| Missing records | Delays or refusal | Keep payslips, your CoS and travel dates |
| Unpaid NHS debt or undeclared convictions | Refusal on suitability grounds | Settle debts and disclose everything |
| Applying too early | Refusal and the fee is lost | Check the earliest date you can apply |
What Happens If…?
What happens if my Skilled Worker application is refused?
If you applied before your Graduate visa expired, your permission usually continues while the application is decided and during any administrative review. This is section 3C leave. If the refusal is upheld, you must leave the UK or make another valid application. Get advice quickly.
What happens if I’m made redundant on a Skilled Worker visa?
Your permission is usually cut short to 60 days, or your existing expiry date if that’s sooner. To keep your 5-year clock running, get a new CoS and apply within that time.
Does self-employment on the Graduate visa count towards ILR?
Yes for 10-year long residence, no for 5-year ILR. The Graduate visa allows self-employment, but only sponsored employment builds the Skilled Worker qualifying period.
Can I go back to a Student visa after the Graduate visa?
Yes, if you meet the Student visa rules. The time counts towards long residence but not towards 5-year ILR, and you can’t get a second Graduate visa.
Dependants and British Citizenship
Do my partner’s and children’s years count towards ILR?
On Skilled Worker, dependants usually apply for ILR alongside the main visa holder. On long residence, each person must meet the 10-year requirement in their own right.
Does Graduate visa time count towards British citizenship?
Not directly. You must usually hold ILR for 12 months before applying for citizenship. But because the residence requirement looks at the 5 years before you apply, Graduate visa time within that window can count towards it.
| Status | What it gives you | Can Graduate time help? |
| Graduate visa | Temporary permission to work | — |
| ILR | Permanent permission to stay | Through long residence |
| British citizenship | A passport and the right to vote | Towards the 5-year residence requirement (you must hold ILR first) |
Rule Changes for 2026–2027
| Change | Status | Effect on graduates |
| Graduate visa cut to 18 months (UG/PGT) | Confirmed for applications from 1 January 2027 | Less time to find a sponsor. PhD graduates still get 3 years. |
| Higher English level for settlement | Announced for 2027 | Plan for a higher English level at the ILR stage |
| Earned settlement: 10-year baseline | Proposed, not law | The 5-year route may become longer |
| Long residence absorbed into earned settlement | Proposed, not law | The 10-year route may change |
| Transitional protection | Promised, details unpublished | Unknown |
Will the Graduate visa be shortened to 18 months?
Yes, for Graduate visa applications made on or after 1 January 2027, except PhD graduates. Bachelor’s and master’s graduates will get 18 months instead of 2 years. Applications made before 1 January 2027 still get 2 years.
What is earned settlement?
Earned settlement is a proposed reform that would make 10 years the standard wait for ILR, adjusted up or down according to factors such as earnings and contribution. The consultation closed on 12 February 2026. As of 30 September 2026, no rules have been laid before Parliament.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Graduate visa count towards ILR?
Only towards the 10-year long residence route. Graduate visa time doesn’t count towards 5-year ILR on Skilled Worker or other work routes, because the Graduate visa isn’t a settlement route. It does count as lawful residence.
Does the Graduate visa count towards 5-year ILR?
No. The 5-year ILR period only counts time on qualifying routes such as Skilled Worker, Global Talent or Innovator Founder. Your 5-year clock starts on the day your qualifying visa begins.
Does the Graduate visa count towards 10-year ILR?
Yes. Graduate visa time counts as lawful residence for the 10-year long residence route, together with Student and work visa time, as long as there are no gaps and your absences stay within the limits.
Can I combine Graduate and Skilled Worker visa time for ILR?
Only for 10-year long residence. For 5-year Skilled Worker ILR, only Skilled Worker and other qualifying route time counts.
Can I apply for ILR while on a Graduate visa?
Yes, but only through 10-year long residence. If you’ve had 10 years of continuous lawful residence, including Student and Graduate time, you can apply while holding a Graduate visa.
Does Student visa time count towards ILR?
Student visa time counts towards 10-year long residence but not towards 5-year ILR on the Skilled Worker route.
How long after a Graduate visa can I get ILR?
Usually 5 years after your Skilled Worker visa starts, or when you reach 10 years of total lawful residence, whichever comes first.
When does my 10-year ILR clock start?
Usually on the date you first arrived in the UK with valid permission, such as a Student visa. Visitor time doesn’t count, and a gap in permission can restart the clock.
How many days can I spend outside the UK for 10-year ILR?
For absences from 11 April 2024, no more than 180 days in any 12-month period. Absences before that date are assessed under the previous rules.
Can I extend my Graduate visa?
No. The Graduate visa can’t be extended and you can only hold one. Switch to another visa before it expires.
Can I switch from the Graduate visa to a Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. You can switch inside the UK with a Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed employer. The job must meet the skill and salary rules, and you can usually use the lower new entrant salary rate.
Is the Graduate visa a route to settlement?
No. The Graduate visa is a temporary route with no ILR provision of its own. Its time counts only towards the 10-year long residence route.
Does freelance work on the Graduate visa count towards ILR?
It counts towards 10-year long residence but not towards 5-year ILR, which needs sponsored employment.
Will earned settlement affect Graduate visa holders?
Possibly. The proposals would make 10 years the standard ILR wait and absorb long residence into the new system. As of 30 September 2026 they aren’t law, and the transitional protections haven’t been published.
Does the Graduate visa count towards British citizenship?
Not directly. You usually need to hold ILR for 12 months first. Graduate visa time within the 5 years before you apply can count towards the residence requirement.
What is the difference between ILR and settled status?
ILR is granted under the Immigration Rules, for example after Skilled Worker or long residence. Settled status is granted under the EU Settlement Scheme. Both give permanent permission to stay in the UK.