Trade Union & Employer HR Briefing: Impact of Proposed 10-Year Settlement Rules on Sponsored Staff
Extending the Skilled Worker settlement qualifying period from 5 years to 10 years for existing employees whose earnings do not exceed £50,270 for 3 of the previous 5 years directly affects UK employers and trade union members. For licensed sponsor employers, doubling the sponsorship period means an extra 5 years of Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) administration, Immigration Skills Charge liabilities (up to £1,000 per worker per year for medium/large sponsors—£5,000 extra per worker), compliance audits, and retention risks.
- ✓Employer Cost Surge: Up to £5,000 in extra Immigration Skills Charge per sponsored worker over an additional 5 years, plus visa renewal and HR compliance costs.
- ✓Union Advocacy: UNISON, RCN, Unite, GMB, BMA, and UCU branches can raise the impact of retrospective settlement changes with MPs and ministers.
- ✓Easy CC Option: Our MP Letter Composer allows workers to CC their trade union when emailing their constituency MP.
Take Action Now: Find Your Local MP & Request Transitional Protection
Enter your UK postcode below to identify your constituency MP and generate a personalised constituent letter asking them to support transitional protection for existing Skilled Worker visa holders on the 5-year settlement pathway.
How Employees Can Brief Their HR Team and Union Representative
Many UK employers and line managers are unaware that the announced Earned Settlement changes could prevent existing sponsored staff earning £50,270 or below from settling after 5 years—requiring the employer to continue sponsoring and paying the Immigration Skills Charge from year 5 to year 10. Share House of Commons Library Briefing CBP-10267 (updated 3 November 2026) with your HR team and trade union representative, and encourage them to raise workforce retention and sponsorship costs with local MPs.
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker Visa Official Guidance (Current 5-Year Settlement Rules In Force)
- GOV.UK — Earned Settlement Consultation & Government Outcome (CP 1448 & CP 1707, November 2026)
- House of Commons Library Research Briefing CBP-10267 — “Changes to UK visa and settlement rules after the 2025 immigration white paper” (Updated 3 November 2026)
- UK Parliament Petition 775267 — “Legislate to protect ILR applicants from retrospective changes” (125,000+ signatures, verified 4 November 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I CC my trade union when using the MP Letter Composer?
Yes. In Step 1 of our MP Letter Composer on the homepage, you can tick 'CC Your Trade Union' to include UNISON, RCN, Unite, GMB, BMA, or a custom union branch email.
More UK Earned Settlement & MP Campaign Guides
Explore our source-verified briefings for Skilled Worker visa holders, NHS and care staff, families, trade unions, and MPs: