The long residence route allows settlement after 10 continuous years of lawful residence in the UK. Unlike the 5-year Skilled Worker route, time on the Student visa and the Graduate Route does count toward it. Continuity is the whole test: gaps in lawful status break the clock. There are two ways to settle in the UK and most Nepali students only know about one. The difference decides whether your Graduate Route years
The UK 10-Year Long Residence Route — What Counts for Nepali Graduates
There are two ways to settle in the UK and most Nepali students only know about one. The difference decides whether your Graduate Route years were time invested or time spent.
By Rahul Chhetri, Director, House of Admissions · Updated 11 Sep 2026
The long residence route allows settlement after 10 continuous years of lawful residence in the UK. Unlike the 5-year Skilled Worker route, time on the Student visa and the Graduate Route does count toward it. Continuity is the whole test: gaps in lawful status break the clock.
This page covers the 10-year route. For the faster 5-year route see switching to Skilled Worker; for the Graduate Route itself see the Graduate Route guide.
- Qualifying period
- 10 continuous years of lawful residence
- Student visa time
- Counts
- Graduate Route time
- Counts
- Skilled Worker time
- Counts
- What breaks it
- Any gap in lawful immigration status
- Compared with
- 5 years on Skilled Worker, which excludes Graduate Route time
- Status
- Settlement rules were under review in the May 2025 White Paper — verify before relying on a timeline
What Are the Two Routes to UK Settlement?
| Route | Qualifying period | Does Student time count? | Does Graduate Route count? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker ILR | 5 years on Skilled Worker | No | No |
| Long residence | 10 continuous lawful years | Yes | Yes |
Why Does This Distinction Matter So Much?
Because a Nepali graduate who arrives at 22, studies for one year and spends two on the Graduate Route has three years toward long residence and zero toward Skilled Worker ILR. Planning as though those three years counted toward a five-year clock is the single most common settlement misunderstanding we encounter.
What Breaks Continuous Residence?
- Any gap in lawful status — even a short period between one visa expiring and the next being granted.
- Excessive absence from the UK, assessed against the limits in force at the time.
- Leaving without valid leave and returning later, which restarts the clock.
- Overstaying, which is treated seriously and affects far more than this route.
The May 2025 Immigration White Paper proposed wider settlement reforms, including longer qualifying periods. Those proposals were not fully settled at the time of writing. Anyone publishing a confident ten-year timeline for 2036 is guessing — including us. Check the current rules at the point you need them.
Planning long-term in the UK?Tell us where you are in the process and we will explain which years count toward which route — free, and we will tell you where the rules are genuinely uncertain.
Free WhatsApp checkFrequently Asked Questions
It counts toward the 10-year long residence route, but not toward the five-year Skilled Worker route to indefinite leave to remain. The two routes count different periods, which is the source of most confusion.
Toward long residence, yes. Toward the five-year Skilled Worker qualifying period, no — that clock starts when you switch to Skilled Worker.
Usually the Skilled Worker route, if you can secure a qualifying job reasonably soon after graduating. Long residence is longer but counts the years you spend studying and on the Graduate Route, which would otherwise not count at all.
Any gap in lawful immigration status, excessive absence from the UK, leaving without valid leave, or overstaying. Continuity is the whole test — a short administrative gap can reset ten years of residence.
Yes — long residence counts continuous lawful residence across Student, Graduate Route, Skilled Worker and other qualifying leave, provided there is no gap in status between them.
They were under review. The May 2025 Immigration White Paper proposed reforms including longer qualifying periods, and the position was not fully settled at the time of writing. Verify the current rules before planning around any timeline.
Be careful. Ten years is longer than most immigration policy remains stable, and a decision made at 22 about a rule that may change twice is a weak basis for choosing a course. Choose the course that leads to work you want; treat settlement as an option rather than a plan.
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Where Does This Information Come From?
- GOV.UK — Graduate visa
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa salary requirements
- Immigration White Paper, May 2025 — settlement reform proposals
- House of Admissions casework, 2016–2026 (self-reported)
Last updated 11 Sep 2026. Nepali foreign-exchange rules and MoEST procedure change by circular and are not always announced in English — confirm current figures with your bank or at noc.moest.gov.np before you rely on them. Nothing here is immigration or financial advice; for a decision on your own case, consult a regulated adviser.