By Adam Hickling, manager at global immigration advisers, Fragomen LLP.

The global competition for experienced aviation engineers and technicians is fierce, and it’s set to intensify for UK-based airlines and MRO companies.

New Home Office proposals would overhaul how migrants secure settlement, doubling the standard qualifying period from five to 10 years and to 15 years for many medium- skilled roles.

For an industry already experiencing a shortage of licensed engineers and qualified technicians, the risk is clear: the UK could become a tougher sell for the international talent that keeps aircraft airworthy.

What’s changing? 

The government launched A Fairer Pathway to Settlement in November 2025, a consultation to consider a restructuring of the UK immigration system. The earned settlement model would be centred on four pillars: character, integration, contribution and residence. The headline shift would raise the baseline qualifying period for most routes from five to 10 years. A stricter 15-year baseline is proposed for roles below RQF Level 6, capturing many skilled aviation technicians and trades. Implementation is subject to the outcome of the consultation.

The proposals also include time-adjusted reductions for high earners: a five-year reduction for those with taxable income of at least £50,270 for three straight years and a seven-year reduction for those earning £125,140+ for three years, potentially benefiting some airline professionals on higher salary codes (e.g., pilots, aerospace engineers).

However, dependants would no longer automatically reach settlement with the lead applicant – they may face longer, independent pathways based on their own income and integration.

Adding to the complexity, the consultation doesn’t rule out applying the new rules to people already on UK routes (subject to any transitional measures yet to be defined) which is quite a major departure from past practice and a challenge to plan for with employers who have staff partway through a five-year route to settlement at different skills levels (could be placed on a 10-year or 15-year route).

Notably absent is any reform of the 180-day absence rule for continuous residence. Some aviation roles with lots of international travel could therefore still trip on existing absence limits particularly as qualifying periods lengthen.

Why this matters for UK aviation 

The UK aviation faces several pressing challenges that affect operations and talent management.

Harder to attract and keep licensed engineers 

The UK already faces a shortage of licensed aircraft engineers and senior technicians. The aviation sector has noted that B1 and B2 certified engineers remain the hardest roles to fill across Europe. This shortfall is driven by an aging workforce, pandemic-related departures, and intense competition for talent, resulting in significant recruitment challenges for MROs and airlines.

Within this context, adding on longer qualifying periods to settlement and the uncertainty for family dependants, high government fees for visa applications and the UK becomes a less compelling destination. Rival hubs overseas which offer faster routes to permanent residence with clearer family stability could attract this talent instead.

For engineers choosing where to settle, the new UK model may feel like a higher risk, higher cost proposition, especially with airlines competing for the best talent.

Higher programme costs and compliance drag 

Longer qualifying periods increase reliance on temporary visas and renewals, pushing up costs (application fees, Immigration Health Charge, Immigration Skills Charge where applicable). For sponsors, extended immigration control means longer running compliance duties, such as tracking, monitoring, reporting and recordkeeping, increasing the administrative burden.

Also, from July 2025, Skilled Worker sponsorship tightened to RQF Level 6 skill level roles (with limited exceptions such as the Temporary Shortage List/transitionary provisions), and salary thresholds rose considerably, for example, going rates of £80,400 for pilots and £52,400 for aerospace engineers (based on a 37.5hour week).

These changes, combined with longer settlement times, raise the barriers to sponsor (and entry to the market to help upskill newer entrants), total cost to hire and retention risk for essential engineering roles.

Operational exposure: the 180-day trap 

Limiting absences from the UK can be hard for some roles, particularly in the aviation industry to be under 180 days absent from the UK annually. One instance of going beyond this limit can reset the time required for settlement resulting in possible lengthened settlement timelines.

Without adjusting or adding concessions to the absence rules could make settlement a moving target for engineers whose job involves extended international travel based on business need.

Where will engineers go instead? 

Aircraft engineers and technicians are mobile and there are competing markets which offer more favourable immigration pathways. Examples include:

– Canada: Its Express Entry system remains among the fastest global routes to permanent residency. Permanent Residence is extended to families, giving engineers stability from the outset. On February 18, 2026, Canada added a special Transport Category (aviation-focused) to Express Entry targeting pilots, flight engineers and aircraft mechanics.

– Australia: The SkillSelect system regularly offers settlement within eight to 15 months, particularly in engineering trades that numerous states classify as shortage roles. Australia’s Skilled Migration Program is designed to bring in skilled workers when no Australian workers are available. Aviation engineering has been recognised as a shortage area in several states, meaning these positions are competitive for nomination.

– Germany: The EU Blue Card offers engineers a route to permanent residence in 21-23 months, making it one of the most attractive options for experienced personnel seeking mobility within the EU.

Against this global landscape, a 10 to 15-year journey to UK settlement risks making the UK a much less competitive destination.

Recognise critical industries or risk avoidable groundings 

The UK’s airlines and MROs are competing not just with each other but with other countries that promise faster, clearer routes to permanent residence for engineers and their families. If settlement becomes a decade plus long journey, with added uncertainty for dependants, the UK risks losing out on the very talent that keeps our aviation sector moving.

In a global competition for licensed engineers, added policy challenges translates directly into less international talent to assist with a shortage of a specialised skill set resulting in maintenance delays and constrained capacity.

Thanks to Fragomen LLP for contributing this article.