Tier 2 (General) to ILR route

I am currently on Tier 2 General visa. The current visa was issued for a period of 3 years and will be expiring in Jan, 2015. However now I am planning a job change and the new employer is willing to sponsor and help me with a new Tier 2 general visa. I have got a few queries :-

1) For how many years the new visa will be given for ? 3 years or 2 years?

2) Considering my annual salary is going to be above £40k , will I be able to apply for ILR at the end of 5 years ? I am referring below to Point 67 mentioned on Page 22 of 64 of the Teir 2 Guidance pdf file :-

"Please note that successful Tier 2 (General) applications will be granted leave up to 3 years with the possibility of extending for a further 3 years. You will not be able to extend beyond 6 years. You will also not be able to re-apply to return to the UK under Tier 2 until 12 months after your last leave under Tier 2 expired or you can show you have been outside the UK for 12 months, whichever is sooner, unless you will be paid a gross annual
salary of £152,100 or more. This will be the case even if you have been in Tier 2 for less than 6 years."

Does this mean that the Tier 2 to settlement route is no more possible now ?

Appreciate your fast response and guidance on this.

The new leave will be for 3 years (or the work end date in the CoS if that is sooner)

You will be eligible for ILR 5 years after your arrival in the UK under T2 and can apply 28 days befiore then. The visa issue date may be used instead of the arrival date unless it is more than 3 months before the arrival date.

What you quoted from the T2 policy guidance is not relevant to you, it is for entry clearance applications.

Look at the settlement rules from April 2016:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... t/#header2
you will need a min salary of £35k or the appropriate salary correspondoing to your SOC code, whichever the higher.

Try to time your forthcoming application so that there is no gap between the expiry of your new leave and the earliest you can apply for ILR

Thanks Manci for your reply and clarifying my doubts.