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> non-native speakers must find this phrase so confusing

Even native speakers struggle with it (i.e. me, when I first saw it being used).

'Leave' in its form meaning 'permission' is only generally used in 'I am on leave from work today'. Many other Commonwealth and Anglophone countries (Australia, NZ, Canada, Singapore) just call it a 'visa validity period'; indefinite leave to remain is 'permanent residency'.

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In the UK, at least, they don't call it "permanent residency" because it can be revoked quite easily. The "leave to remain" part is implying that one can stay in the country until further notice but does not imply a right to residence. Spend too long abroad over a period of a few years and there's a requirement to "reapply" which may or not be successful.

> Spend too long abroad over a period of a few years and there's a requirement to "reapply"

This applies to many other countries' so-called permanent residencies as well. It could be revoked if one spends a long period abroad, or collects a (local or foreign) criminal record, or otherwise gets in the granting government's bad books. They're permanent only in name.

Same in the US. As a green card holder, I cannot leave the U.S. for more than a year. If I do, I lose my permanent resident status.

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