Moving to the United Kingdom in 2026: entry, work visas, residence and settlement

Moving to the United Kingdom in 2026: start with your legal status

The United Kingdom is outside the European Union, so EU free-movement rights no longer apply to new movers. Entry as a visitor, permission to live in the UK and permission to work are separate legal questions.

Before relocating, establish which of these applies to you:

you already hold UK immigration status, such as settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme;
you are coming only for a short visit;
you need a work, study, family or business route for a longer stay;
you intend eventually to qualify for indefinite leave to remain, often called settlement.

London skyline and the River Thames

London skyline with the River Thames. Photo: Mewiki, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: no general free-movement right

For citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, the key post-Brexit distinction is whether you already have protected UK status.

If you hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, official UK guidance confirms that you do not need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to the UK. Your status is digital and should be linked to the passport or qualifying identity document you use for travel.

If you do not hold UK immigration permission, you are treated under the normal UK immigration system. Most eligible European visitors, except Irish citizens, now need an ETA before travelling for a short visit. The ETA scheme is fully enforced: since 25 February 2026, non-visa nationals who require an ETA must hold the necessary digital permission before travel.

Irish citizens are different. Under the Common Travel Area arrangements, they do not need an ETA and are not treated like other EU citizens for UK travel and residence purposes.

An ETA is permission to travel, not permission to settle or take ordinary employment in the UK.

Visiting the UK: what an ETA or visitor permission does not allow

An ETA can be used for qualifying visits of up to six months, including tourism, visiting family, certain business activities and short-term study. It does not guarantee admission at the border.

Visitors cannot use repeated trips to live in the UK and generally cannot do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or work as a self-employed person, except where a specific permitted activity or concession applies.

This distinction matters for founders and remote professionals. A business meeting, conference or permitted visitor activity is not the same as moving your working base to the UK. If the real purpose is long-term work or residence, identify the correct immigration route before travelling.

Non-EU citizens: check whether you need a visa or an ETA

For non-EU nationals, the answer depends on the passport. Some nationalities are visa nationals and must obtain a visitor visa before travel. Others are non-visa nationals and may instead need an ETA.

Do not rely on residence in an EU country, a Schengen permit or another foreign residence card as proof that you can enter the UK. The United Kingdom applies its own immigration rules.

If your objective is employment, study, family reunion, business creation or another long-term purpose, the visitor route is normally not the correct starting point.

Skilled Worker: the main sponsored employment route

The Skilled Worker visa remains one of the principal routes for people recruited by a UK employer. The official requirements include:

an eligible job;
employment by a Home Office-approved sponsor;
a Certificate of Sponsorship;
meeting the relevant salary rules for the occupation;
meeting the other route requirements, including English language rules where applicable.

The standard salary rule is generally the higher of £41,700 per year or the published going rate for the occupation. Different or reduced rules can apply in defined cases, including some healthcare, education, Immigration Salary List and new-entrant situations, so applicants should check the exact occupation code rather than assume one figure applies to everyone.

A Skilled Worker visa is tied to the sponsored role and employer conditions. Changing employer or moving into a different job can require a new immigration application.

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle from The Mound. Photo: Ad Meskens — Wikimedia Commons.

Global Talent: for leaders and potential leaders

The Global Talent visa is designed for leaders or potential leaders in:

academia or research;
arts and culture;
digital technology.

Unlike the Skilled Worker route, it is not based on a conventional employer sponsorship model. Many applicants need an endorsement, while winners of specified eligible prestigious prizes can apply without one.

The route can allow residence and work for up to five years at a time. Depending on the field and the basis on which the visa was granted, settlement may become possible after three or five years.

For experienced founders, senior digital professionals, researchers and recognised creative professionals, this route can be more flexible than employer sponsorship, but the evidence standard is substantial.

Innovator Founder: building an endorsed business in the UK

The Innovator Founder visa is the principal immigration route for qualifying entrepreneurs who want to establish and run an innovative business in the UK.

Before applying, the business or business idea must be assessed by an approved endorsing body. Applicants must meet the route's English language, age and maintenance requirements, and new businesses must be able to explain the funding available and its source.

There is not a single universal investment amount stated as the core eligibility threshold for every applicant. The important point is whether the endorsing body is satisfied that the business is innovative, viable and scalable and that the applicant has the resources required for the plan.

The route can lead to settlement after three years if the applicant meets the separate settlement endorsement and business-performance criteria.

Family, study and dependant status

People relocating because of a partner, family relationship or study have separate immigration routes with their own eligibility, financial and documentary rules.

Do not assume that a dependant can always accompany the main applicant. UK rules on dependants differ between visa categories and have changed for some work and study routes in recent years. Always check the exact route before committing to housing, school places or employment arrangements.

Settlement: the route you choose matters

There is no single residence period that applies to every migrant.

For example, a person on the Skilled Worker route may qualify for indefinite leave to remain after five years of qualifying residence if the other requirements are met. The official continuous-residence rules generally limit absences to no more than 180 days in any 12-month period for this route.

By contrast, eligible Innovator Founder applicants can potentially settle after three years, while Global Talent settlement can be available after three or five years depending on the route details.

EU Settlement Scheme status follows its own legal framework and should not be confused with these work-route settlement rules.

Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland

Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. Photo: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.

A practical relocation sequence

For a move to the UK in 2026, use this order:

Check whether you already hold UK immigration status.
Confirm whether your passport requires a visa, an ETA or neither for the planned journey.
Separate visiting from living and working. Do not use visitor permission as a substitute for a long-term route.
Match the route to the real purpose: sponsored employment, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, family, study or another qualifying category.
For employment, verify the sponsor, occupation code and salary rules before accepting the role.
Check dependant eligibility separately for every family member.
Plan for settlement from the beginning if long-term residence is the objective, because qualifying periods and absence rules depend on the route.
Use the current GOV.UK guidance at the time of application, because Immigration Rules and salary tables can change.

Official sources to verify before applying

The key rule: a short-stay travel permission is not a residence or work right. Since Brexit, EU/EEA/Swiss nationals without protected UK status and non-EU nationals alike need to identify the UK immigration route that matches what they actually plan to do.

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