I've always wondered of it was possible to move to the UK by starting a business that required a UK presence and using that as a reason for an indefinate residence permit?
Nope. You cannot really sponsor yourself working for you own company, that would be such an obvious loophole.
I've been living here 3.5 years, 2 on a YM visa, 1.5 on a work visa. Unfortunately, my 2 years on YM don't even count towards the 5 required to get ILR. You can build up an entire life here & all it takes is for your work visa to be disappeared and then you have 1 month notice to gtfo the country otherwise you're "overstaying".
After 3.5 years somewhere you definitely build up "a life" there, but the UK gov offers no protections at all. Until you hit that 5 year mark they don't give a toss about you.
As long as you mean 5 years of uninterrupted work visa (YM doesn't count) where losing your visa forces to to leave w/ 1 month's notice, then sure, they have "open borders".
I've been living here 3.5 years, 2 on a YM visa, 1.5 on a work visa. Unfortunately, my 2 years on YM don't even count towards the 5 required to get ILR. You can build up an entire life here & all it takes is for your work visa to be disappeared and then you have 1 month notice to gtfo the country otherwise you're "overstaying".
After 3.5 years somewhere you definitely build up "a life" there, but the UK gov offers no protections at all. Until you hit that 5 year mark they don't give a toss about you.