The UK White Paper on “Restoring Control over the Immigration System” hit a few days ago. Most of the content is outside my wheelhouse, but it did contain some important updates re: English tests. Specifically:
- We will increase language requirements for Skilled Workers and workers where a language requirement already applies from B1 to B2 (Independent User) levels, in accordance with the Common European Framework for Reference for Languages (CEFR).
- It is important that we ensure better integration and consistency in our requirements of family members across the immigration system so we will introduce a new English language requirement for all adult dependants of workers and students at level A1 (Basic User) to align to spousal and partner routes and will work towards increasing this requirement over time.
- We want individuals to improve their English language skills over time as they continue their stay in the UK. We will introduce requirements to demonstrate progression to level A2 (Basic User) for any visa extension, and B2 (Independent User) for settlement.
- We will increase our existing requirements for settlement across the majority of immigration routes from B1 to B2 (Independent User).
The Labour government is seeking to reduce migration to the UK. Needless to say, less migration = less testing. But a few things are worth noting:
- Increasing requirements for work visas (and others) from B1 to B2 will lead to more re-testers. Some people study hard to reach their test score target. Other people just retest (again and again and again) until they hit it. That will be lucrative for testing firms.
- The requirement that dependents prove they are at A1 will prove lucrative for testing companies. Remember that the A1 “life skills” tests take about 25 minutes to complete and generally cost about 170 GBP. These must be a pretty sweet deal for the test companies.
- The requirement that certain individuals demonstrate progression from A1 to B1 may generate even more demand for these short and expensive tests.
- Higher requirements might cause more people to consider tests that are popularly perceived to be easier than IELTS.
- How much does it cost to administer a 25 minute test? There may be an opportunity for one of the SELT providers to undercut their competitors and grab a big part of the market. But obviously that won’t happen.
It is also worth considering that by the time these changes are implemented, we might be in the HOELT era. The HOELT tender indicates that it will include testing at the A1 and A2 levels.