Will take effect at 9am 1 December 2020 and will cover applicants applying under the following categories:
- Appendix Student
- Appendix Skilled Worker
- Appendix Representative of an Overseas Business
- Appendix T2 Minister of Religion
- Appendix T2 Sportsperson
- Appendix UK Ancestry
- Appendix Global Talent
- Appendix Start-up
- Appendix Innovator
- Appendix T5 (Temporary Worker) International Agreement Worker
- Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas)
- Appendix ECAA Extension of Stay
Note that the above does not cover applications under Appendix FM and British Citizenship application.
Exemptions
Settlement (ILR) application where the applicant is aged 65 or over, under 18 or if they have a physical or mental disability which prevents them from meeting the requirements.
What if I have met the requirement in a previous application?
You will meet the English language requirement if you have already shown that you met the requirement, at the level required for your current application, in a previous successful application for entry clearance or permission to stay.
What if I am from a Majority English Speaking Country?
You would have met the English language requirement if you are a citizen from the following countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- Trinidad and Tobago
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- The United States of America
- Malta
How do you meet the English Language requirement?
Academic qualification
You can meet the requirement by having a degree from:
- A UK university;
- A university in designated English-majority country (except Canada) with evidence of equivalence from NARIC; or
- A university in any other country that was taught in English with evidence of equivalence from NARIC as well as evidence that the degree was taught in English from NARIC
Note: Degree from Ireland will also be treated as meeting the above requirements.
English Language Test
You can meet the requirement by obtaining the SELT test at the correct level from the following authorised provider:
- IELTS SELT Consortium (UK or overseas)
- LanguageCert (UK or overseas)
- Trinity College London (UK only)
- Pearson (UK and overseas)
- PSI Services (UK) Ltd (overseas only)
Do note that UKVI regularly review the above provider therefore please check the updated list before booking your appointment.
GCSE or A Level English
From December, applicants applying under Appendix Student, Appendix Skilled Worker, Appendix Start-up and Appendix Innovator can meet the English language requirement if you have one of the following qualifications in English (language or literature), as long as you were under 18 and at school at the time your qualification was awarded by an Ofqual, SQA, Qualification Wales or CCEA awarding body:
- GCSE
- A Level
- Scottish National Qualification at level 4 or 5
- Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher
Additional provision for students
- Appendix Student applicants can alternatively meet the English Language requirements if they are sponsored by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance. The Higher Education provider must specify on the Certificate of Acceptance that they have assessed your English Language ability at level B2 or above, and how they assessed it.
- If an applicant in this route sat an approved test and was exempted from a component of the test by the provider on disability grounds, they will meet the requirement if the Sponsor has confirmed that they are satisfied with the applicant’s level of English.
- For applicant applying for a short-term programme of up to six months and the study programme is part of a degree-level or above programme in a US Higher Education Institution, you will meet the requirement if NARIC confirms that the overseas course is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or above.
Medical professional regulation for Skilled Worker
Applicants in the Skilled Worker route will meet the English language requirement if they are being sponsored to work as a dentist, doctor, nurse or midwife and they have been assessed by the relevant regulator as meeting the English language requirement for registration.
Sincere Immigration
