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Highly skilled workers

A highly skilled migrant reviewing their application

English language

This page explains the points we award for English language skills under the highly skilled worker category (Tier 1 General) of the points-based system to work in the United Kingdom.

You must have a minimum level of English language and score 10 points in this section, or your application will be refused.

Full details of these requirements are in the immigration rules at paragraph 245B of part 6, which you can find on the right side of this page. You must read the policy guidance before you apply under this category. You can download the guidance and application form from the Applying section.

How points are awarded for English language

English is the official language of the United Kingdom. The ability to speak English to a competent level improves your potential to succeed in the United Kingdom labour market and helps you integrate into the United Kingdom. So you must have a good knowledge of English.

There are three ways that you can score points for English language. You can:

  • be a national of a majority English speaking country; or
  • pass an English language test on our list of approved English language tests (PDF 44K opens in new window); or 
  • hold a degree assessed by UK NARIC as being taught in English and is equivalent to a United Kingdom bachelor's degree or above.

You will also meet the English language requirement if:

  • you were given permission to stay under a tier 1 category (other than investors or post-study workers) and are applying for an extension; or 
  • you were given permission to stay as a highly skilled migrant under the immigration rules that came into force on 5 December 2006, and you are applying for an extension under a tier 1 category.

If you are applying for permission to stay (known as 'leave to remain') under the highly skilled worker category and have received a previous grant of leave under an immigration category that did not require a particular standard of English, you must meet the English language requirement.

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If you are a national of a majority English speaking country

You must have 10 points for English language. These will be awarded if you are a national of a majority English language speaking country listed below:

  • Antigua and Barbuda; 
  • Australia; 
  • The Bahamas; 
  • Barbados; 
  • Belize; 
  • Canada; 
  • Dominica; 
  • Grenada; 
  • Guyana; 
  • Jamaica; 
  • New Zealand; 
  • St Kitts and Nevis; 
  • St Lucia; 
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines; 
  • Trinidad and Tobago; 
  • United States of America.

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If you have passed an English language test

You must have 10 points for English language. These will be awarded if you pass a test on our list of approved English language tests (PDF 44K opens in new window). Only test certificates from providers that have been assessed as meeting our requirements will be accepted.

If you have disabilities (for example, hearing difficulties) you are not exempt from the English language requirement. You should contact a test provider for details of support you can receive while sitting the test.

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If you are waiting to take an English language test or waiting for your test result

If you are applying for leave to remain under the highly skilled worker category, you may need to send your application before you have taken, or received the results of a test.

If you have met all other requirements for a grant of permission to stay (known as 'leave to remain') under the highly skilled worker category, we will hold the application open for an initial period of 10 weeks from the date of application.

During this period you should provide:

  • an English language test certificate; or
  • confirmation from the test provider that you have either taken a test or have a confirmed date to take the test.

If you give confirmation from the test provider that you have taken a test or have a confirmed date to take the test we will continue to hold the application open. We will finish assessing the application when you then send an English language test certificate.

If you do not pass the test on the first attempt, the application will not be held open to allow for later attempts to be made. We will finish considering the application on this basis, and your application will be refused.

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If you have a degree taught in English

You must have 10 points for English language. These will be awarded if you hold a degree which is equivalent to United Kingdom bachelor's level or above and which was taught or researched in English to a particular level. We will consider this to be proof of your English language ability.

The qualification must be recognised by UK NARIC as:

  • equivalent to at least a United Kingdom bachelor's degree; and
  • having been taught in English to a standard comparable to that of level C1 on the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR).

Where the degree was taken in a majority English speaking country, listed below, we will assume it to have been taught in English:

  • Antigua and Barbuda;
  • Australia;
  • The Bahamas; 
  • Barbados;
  • Belize; 
  • Dominica; 
  • Grenada; 
  • Guyana; 
  • Ireland; 
  • Jamaica;
  • New Zealand; 
  • St Kitts and Nevis; 
  • St Lucia; 
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines; 
  • Trinidad and Tobago; 
  • the United Kingdom; 
  • the United States of America.

Canada is not on this list.

If the degree was taken in another country, we assess the qualification using the points-based calculator, which you can find on the right of this page. The calculator contains information on the equivalency of overseas qualifications provided by UK NARIC.

You can claim points if the points-based calculator confirms that:

  • your degree is equivalent to at least a United Kingdom bachelor?s degree; and
  • the degree was taught to a competent standard of English equivalent to level C1 on the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for
    Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR).

Checking qualifications

You should check your qualification by referring to the points-based calculator, which you can find on the right of this page. If the calculator is unable to confirm that your qualification meets the requirement we will not award points.

UK NARIC will not be able to verify whether a qualification satisfies the English language requirement. So if your qualification cannot be confirmed by the points-based calculator, you should either present an alternative qualification from the points-based calculator if you have one or choose another way of meeting the English language requirement.

You must prove your English language by sending evidence to support your application, or your application will be refused.

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See also

Do it online

Terms explained

  • Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

    A series of descriptions of abilities, accepted worldwide, that sets clear targets for achievement in learning a language.

  • UK NARIC

    UK National Agency (UK NARIC) is responsible for providing information and opinion on vocational, academic and professional qualifications from over 180 countries worldwide.  The National Agency is managed on behalf of the United Kingdom Government and is the only official source of information on wide-ranging international qualifications and skills attained from outside the United Kingdom.  They compare qualifications from overseas with the United Kingdom and provide information on qualifications and education systems outside the United Kingdom.

     

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