Can I extend my Tier-2 General for another 3 years?

[tier2main]

Hi All

I have a query regarding my eligibility for a ILR ever on my Tier 2 General visa.Details below -

Visa start date - Oct 2013
Visa end date - Oct 2016
First entry to UK - Aug 2014

So, I got a visa for 3 years. However, due to some reasons I travelled to UK almost 10 months after the start date of my visa. I am due for a renewal this year. This makes me wonder that I can be eligibile for ILR only if my employer applies for an extension of my visa for 3 years. However this particular statement on the Home Office website confuses me -

"You can apply to extend your visa for up to another 5 years, as long as your total stay is not more than 6 years."

Does this mean that my employer can extend my visa only for another 2 years and not for 3 years?

Thanks

[ravisb_2014]

"You can apply to extend your visa for up to another 5 years, as long as your total stay is not more than 6 years."

- it means for every application, you can extend your visa up to maximum 5 years, but your total stay with Tier 2 in UK should be less than 6 years.

E.g. If your current total stay with Tier 2 is 6 months and you can stay for another 5.5 years. But you can extend your visa up to 5 years, not beyond that.

[tier2main]

Thanks ravisb_2014.

So this means that visa can be extended for a stretch of 5 years at one go and not beyond that implying that if my employer can stretches my visa for another 3 years, there is a possibility of me being eligible for ILR.

Hope I understood it right.

Thanks again

[ravisb_2014]

yes.