ILR Application eligibility

[daniboi]

A little story for you, and id like to know if i can make an application for ILR sooner ?

I started working for a start up in June 2018, under the T4 student visa after my graduation while my T2 work application was with home office. I got my T2 approved in December.
My company currently doesn't need my skill set anymore and i am looking to move to another job. I know i can apply for ILR in December when i have 5 years on T2. But i was wondering if i can apply for ILR in June since my contract started then in 2018.

[zimba]

You can only get ILR if your sponsor needs you for the foreseeable future, otherwise you need to secure a new sponsor to get ILR via them

[CR001]

But i was wondering if i can apply for ILR in June since my contract started then in 2018.

No you cannot as Tier 4 does NOT count for ILR based on 5 years residence. Your 5 year ILR qualifying period starts from the date your Tier 2 visa was issued. It has nothing to do with when you started working for a company and everything to do with the category of visa you held and whether the visa category qualifies.

As zimba has also indicated, you have the foreseeable future requirement you also have to meet for ILR and you must be employed by a sponsoring employer to qualify for ILR.

[daniboi]

That answers everything for me. Thanks guys for the quick response. I guess i need to do some job hunting now then. Secure my position for at-least another year, and then apply for a ILR then.

[daniboi]

Hey guys, I just wanted to confirm some things about my eligibility for applying for ILR status, and I hope you guys can clear my doubts here. Below is the timeline of my immigration status in the UK.

Route: T2 Work visa 5 years route
Job 1 Start Date: 03/12/2018
Job 1 End Date: 28/05/2018
Job 2 Start Date: 26/07/2018
Job 2 End Date: Currently working

Since the start date, I have worked for the same company till 28/05/2023, i was made redundant and without receiving a curtailment letter, I managed to find another job within 60 days as per the books.

So I started working for my second job on 28/07/2023 till now.

My question is, am I currently eligible to apply for ILR status, despite the gap I had between finding jobs?

[lolo2]

Gaps between jobs are not an issue at all for ILR.

[zimba]

Hey guys, I just wanted to confirm some things about my eligibility for applying for ILR status, and I hope you guys can clear my doubts here. Below is the timeline of my immigration status in the UK.

Route: T2 Work visa 5 years route
Job 1 Start Date: 03/12/2018
Job 1 End Date: 28/05/2018
Job 2 Start Date: 26/07/2018
Job 2 End Date: Currently working

Since the start date, I have worked for the same company till 28/05/2023, i was made redundant and without receiving a curtailment letter, I managed to find another job within 60 days as per the books.

So I started working for my second job on 28/07/2023 till now.

My question is, am I currently eligible to apply for ILR status, despite the gap I had between finding jobs?

Which books ? That '60-day requirement to find a new sponsor' thing that used to apply under the old Tier 2 route is long gone (removed from the rules in Jan 2018) There is also no such requirement as a 'continuous employment period' under the skilled worker route for ILR. Gaps between employment have no negative outcome at all. ILR is based on a 'continuous lawful residence' period NOT a continuous employment period.

[daniboi]

Thanks, Zimba for clarifying this for me. I am much more relaxed now, and I have gone forward with my application.

Let's hope for the best outcome. And I shall post here on the results

[daniboi]

Quick update from me for this thread.

I applied for ILR on Friday, and
went to the biometric appointment on Monday and
by Tuesday my ILR was approved and
by Thursday the new BRP was in my hands.

I paid for the priority service (500 quid more), and without the use of any advisor/lawyers.

Just wanted to say I was so afraid to do this alone because it's a lot of money involved. But if your documents and in the right order and have everything the home office asks for, it's a straightforward, simple application.

[AmazonianX]

Congratulations