In News

Follow this topic

Bookmark

Record learning outcomes

Pharmacists from overseas who work in the UK will not have to meet the minimum £50,271 salary requirement to qualify for the five-year route to permanent settled status, the Government has confirmed.

The policy announcement earlier this month followed a 12-week public consultation in late 2025 on Labour’s Fairer Pathway to Settlement proposal that received over 200,000 responses.

The Government will increase the minimum time to apply for permanent settlement in the UK from five to 10 years for most migrants, but will maintain the current five-year rule for professions that qualify for a ‘public service discount’ exempting them from the requirement to earn £50,271 a year. 

In addition to pharmacists, other health workers such a doctors, nurses and podiatrists will qualify, as well as teachers and social workers.

Pharmacy technicians are not included on the list of eligible professions, and will therefore need to either meet the salary requirement for the five-year pathway or apply after 10 years.

Individuals who earn over £125,141 a year will be able to apply for settled status after three years. 

All applicants for permanent settlement will need a clean criminal record from the last 12 months, a high standard of English language proficiency, no tax debt and a consistent record of national insurance contributions.

The new rules are expected to be implemented in either December or January. 

Home Office junior minister Jo White said: “The new framework will ensure that the time it takes to qualify for settlement reflects an individual’s character, contribution, integration and residence.”