UK Extends ILR Eligibility for Turkish ECAA Visa Holders, Leaving Families in Limbo

Home Office Secretary Shabhana Mahmood announced ILR eligibility for Turkish ECAA visa holders will extend from five to ten years, 2024. The discontinued ECAA visa granted ILR after five years. ‘Earned settlement’ sets salary thresholds—£125,140 for a seven-year reduction and £50,270 (or public-sector roles) for a five-year route. Gozde (42) and Ercan (46) arrived on an ECAA visa in July 2021 and met MPs in February 2024 to protest the change. Work Rights Centre CEO Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol and Labour leader Andy Burnham have criticised it.

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Over 2 million, half a million children, could face the longer wait. Renewals cost £3,336 each; a five-member family would pay >£12,000. Gozde’s salary ?£20,000 is below the £50,270 threshold, though the couple’s combined income exceeds £50,000. The delay threatens family cohesion, may force children back to Turkey, and could reduce skilled workforce supporting NHS and schools.

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Mahmood says the reform targets lower-skill migration, offering accelerators for earners. Home Office says processing delays stem from a surge in applications and that settlement is a privilege, not a right. Gozde and Ercan claim they have met all obligations and feel promise broken. Work Rights Centre calls reversal ‘shameful’ and urges Labour leader to scrap earned settlement. Charities warn of splits and child poverty.

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Ercan volunteers as a youth support worker and Gozde has applied to be a magistrate, yet these roles do not affect ILR eligibility. Their children repeatedly ask about their status while awaiting a September 2023 extension decision. Salary thresholds exclude the secondary earner’s income, leaving couples like them ineligible despite a combined income above the cut-off. Home Office blames high application volume; Work Rights Centre cites reduced capacity. Exact numbers remain unverified.

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• “Years ago we came here with a lot of dreams for our children, for our careers. And now our dreams are falling down,” — Ercan, Turkish migrant

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• “We relocated to the UK in the hope of a more stable and predictable future,” — Gozde, Turkish migrant

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• “I am studying for the examinations, but if I don’t see the rest of my life here, it doesn’t make sense,” — Ercan, Turkish migrant

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• “Settlement in the UK is a privilege, not a right. That is why we are reforming settlement rules, based on contribution to the UK and ensuring those staying here respect our laws and contribute to the country.” — Home Office spokesperson

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Ten-year rule takes effect 2024. If Andy Burnham becomes prime minister, he may overturn the settlement framework. Families like Gozde and Ercan await extension decision and consider legal routes to secure ILR.

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