Posted on July 30, 2022

English Language

1. An applicant applying as a Tier 1 Migrant must have 10 points for English language, unless applying for entry clearance or leave to remain:

(i) as a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Migrant,

(ii) as a Tier 1 (Investor) Migrant

2. The levels of English language required are shown in Table 1.

3. Available points for English language are shown in Table 2.

4. Notes to accompany the tables are shown below each table.

Table 1: Level of English language required to score points

Tier 1

Row Category Applications Level of English language required

B Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Entry clearance and leave to remain. A knowledge of English equivalent to level B1 or above of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for Language Learning

Table 2: Points available for English language

Factor Points

National of a majority English speaking country 10

Degree taught in English 10

Passed an English language test 10

Met requirement in a previous grant of leave 10

Transitional arrangements 10

Notes

National of a majority English speaking country

6. 10 points will only be awarded for being a national of a majority English speaking country if the applicant has the relevant level of English language shown in Table 1 and:

(i) is a national of one of the following countries:

Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

The Bahamas

Barbados

Belize

Canada

Dominica

Grenada

Guyana

Jamaica

Malta

New Zealand

St Kitts and Nevis

St Lucia

St Vincent and the Grenadines

Trinidad and Tobago

USA

and

(ii) provides his valid passport or travel document to show that this requirement is met. If the applicant is unable to do so, the UK Border Agency may exceptionally consider this requirement to have been met where the applicant provides full reasons in the passport section of the application form, and either:

(1) a current national identity document, or

(2) a letter from his home government or embassy, on the letter-headed paper of the government or embassy, which has been issued by an authorised official of that institution and confirms the applicant’s full name, date of birth and nationality.

Degree taught in English

7. 10 points will be awarded for a degree taught in English if the applicant has the relevant level of English language shown in Table 1 and:

(i) has obtained an academic qualification (not a professional or vocational qualification) which either:

(1) is a UK Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or PhD

(2) is a qualification awarded by an educational establishment outside the UK, which is deemed by Ecctis to meet the recognised standard of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or a PhD in the UK, and Ecctis has confirmed that the degree was taught or researched in English to the appropriate level of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for Language learning or above

or:

(3) is deemed by Ecctis to meet or exceed the recognised standard of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or a PhD in the UK, and is from an educational establishment in one of the following countries:

Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

The Bahamas

Barbados

Belize

Dominica

Grenada

Guyana

Ireland

Jamaica

Malta

New Zealand

St Kitts and Nevis

St Lucia

St Vincent and The Grenadines

Trinidad and Tobago

the USA,

and

(ii) provides the following specified documents to show he has the qualification:

(1) the certificate of the award, or

(2) if the applicant is awaiting graduation having successfully completed the qualification, or no longer has the certificate and the awarding institution is unable to provide a replacement, an academic transcript (or letter in the case of a PhD qualification) from the awarding institution on its official headed paper, which clearly shows:

(a) the applicant’s name,

(b) the name of the awarding institution,

(c) the title of the award,

(d) confirmation that the qualification has been or will be awarded, and

(e) the date that the certificate will be issued (if the applicant has not yet graduated) or confirmation that the institution is unable to reissue the certificate or award, and

(iii) provides documentation produced by Ecctis which confirms the assessment in (i)(2) or (3), if applicable.

Passed an English language test

10. Ten points will only be awarded for passing an English language test if the applicant has passed a Secure English Language Test, at a Secure English Language Test centre, which has been approved by the Secretary of State and has provided their unique reference number for the test, which allows their score to be verified using the provider’s online verification system. Details of the approved tests and Secure English Language Test centres are published on the UK Visas and Immigration pages in Gov.uk.

Where two or more components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) of an English language test are examined and awarded together, for example a combined exam and certificate for reading and writing skills, the specified evidence submitted by the applicant must show that they achieved the required scores in all the relevant components during a single sitting of that examination, unless exempted from sitting a component on the basis of their disability.

10A. The qualification obtained must meet or exceed the relevant level shown in Table 1 in:

(i) speaking and listening, if the relevant level is A1 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for Language Learning, or

(ii) all four components (reading, writing, speaking and listening), in all other cases,

unless the applicant was exempted from sitting a component on the basis of his disability,

Met requirement in a previous grant of leave

11. Subject to paragraph 15 below, 10 points will be awarded for meeting the requirement in a previous grant of leave if the applicant:

(i) has ever been granted leave as a Tier 1 (General) Migrant, a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Migrant or Business person, or a Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) Migrant, or

(ii) has ever been granted leave as a Highly Skilled Migrant under the Rules in place on or after 5 December 2006.

12. Subject to paragraph 15 below, 10 points will be awarded for meeting the requirement in a previous grant of leave if the applicant has ever been granted leave:

(a) as a Minister of Religion (not as a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) Migrant) under the Rules in place on or after 19 April 2007,

(b) as a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) Migrant, provided that when he was granted that leave he obtained points for English language for being a national of a majority English speaking country, a degree taught in English, or passing an English language test, or

(c) as a Student, and the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies used to support that application was assigned on or after 21 April 2011 for a course of at least degree level study.

13. Subject to paragraph 15 below, 10 points will be awarded for meeting the requirement in a previous grant of leave if the applicant has ever been granted leave:

(a) as a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) Migrant,

(b) as a Tier 2 (General) Migrant under the Rules in place on or after 6 April 2011, or

(c) as a Student, and the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies used to support that application was assigned on or after 21 April 2011,

provided that when he was granted that leave he obtained points for having a knowledge of English equivalent to level B1 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for Language Learning or above.

15. No points will be awarded for meeting the requirement in a previous grant of leave if false representations were made or false documents or information were submitted (whether or not to the applicant’s knowledge) in relation to the requirement in the application for that previous grant of leave.

Original article: Immigration Rules Appendix B: English language