UK English Language System overhaul

The first tranche of change will come in the form of those outlined in the recent government White Paper which proposed three significant updates to English language requirements under popular immigration routes into the UK. Firstly, the White Paper proposes to raise the threshold of English Language required for the Skilled Worker Route.  The threshold will be raised from level B1 (intermediate) to B2 (independent user) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). 

Secondly a new requirement will be introduced for adult dependants of workers and students, requiring them to satisfy an English Language requirement at level A1 (beginner) of the CEFR, in line with the current partner route. Dependants will then need to demonstrate progression to level A2 (basic user) for visa extensions and level B2 (independent user) when applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).  Finally, the English language requirement for ILR will increase from level B1 to B2 for most immigration routes.
 
Moving into 2026 the Home Office is planning to revamp the Secure English Language Test (SELT) system and consolidate all the currently available UK Visas and Immigration approved tests into one test.  The new ‘one size fits all’ test will be known as the Home Office English Language Test (HOELT) and will be delivered in the UK and internationally. 
 
The HOELT has been developed to evidence English Language for work visas rather than study visas, and it is understood that taking the HOELT test will not be a mandated aspect of securing a UK study visa, so universities should be able to continue to choose which tests they accept for international students’ English language proficiency.
 
Ultimately, consolidating these tests will have a big impact on the SELT market and a variety of consequences to visa application routes that have an English language requirement. Transitioning the current system into just one test could cause a bottleneck in test centre waiting times and cause delays at the test booking stage. Further, it is expected that the chosen one or two suppliers will need to ensure security measures are high quality; if the test system is down for the supplier, then the system is down for anyone trying to complete the English language proficiency aspect of their visa application. This could cause delays for submitting visa applications if the HOELT system ever had technological issues.
 
When considering the potential advantages of the new system, applicants and immigration advisors are likely to welcome a streamlined system which will be clearer for migrants when selecting an English Language test in future.  Additionally, a single supplier may provide greater transparency, particularly for institutions or employers who may be able to directly access test results.
 
The government intends to have the new testing model in place in 2026 and further information is expected to be released later this year. We recommend that UK sponsors prepare for this transition by ensuring HR and globality mobility teams are trained on the changes and that upcoming candidates for sponsorship are aware of the transition in good time, having particular concern for the predicted delays to book a test and longer waiting times.