Hong Kong Watch reports BNO exemption from planned settlement earnings requirement
06 Nov 2026
If you are on the BNO visa, there is an update on the planned "earned settlement" changes. Hong Kong Watch, a campaign group, says the Home Office has confirmed that BN(O) holders are exempt from the planned minimum earnings requirement. The group's statement was updated at 12:45pm on 3 November 2026. These are planned requirements, not rules already in force. The page gives no start date.
Hong Kong Watch says: "We have now received confirmation from the Home Office that BN(O)s are exempt from the minimum earning requirement of above £12,570." It also says BN(O) holders "will keep their 5-year pathway to settlement". The same statement says the standard route to ILR "will be lengthened from five to ten years".
New requirements would still apply to BNO settlement applicants. The statement says they "will be required to fulfil new mandatory minimum requirements, including a B2 English level, no criminality, and no government debt." Exemptions from the language requirement are outlined for children, people aged over 65, and people unable to meet it because of a physical or mental condition. Hong Kong Watch warns that some Hong Kongers may still find the English requirement hard to meet.
The statement gives no deadline and no steps to take now. If you plan to apply for settlement on the BNO route, check your English level against B2 and watch GOV.UK for the detailed rules and dates. This is a campaign group's account of the Home Office position, so check the official guidance before you rely on it.
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