Higher English Proficiency Standard for Settlement Effective March 2027

In a Statement of Changes on 5 March 2026, the UK Government indicated that they will increase the English language requirement for settlement for most immigration routes. The required level is set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and will be raised from B1 (intermediate) to B2 (upper intermediate or around foreign-language A-level standard), in speaking and listening. It will not be effective until 26 March 2027, meaning that those impacted have around a year to reach the required standard.

Which visa applicants will be impacted?

The English language level for settlement is raised from B1 to B2 in speaking and listening for the following visas, where they are applying from 26 March 2027 onwards.

• Work routes – main applicants, dependant partners and dependant children who have turned 18, including in the following categories:
  • Skilled Worker, Minister of Religion, Representative of an Overseas Business, UK Ancestry, Global Talent, Scale Up, or Innovator Founder routes.

Applicants who first applied in the Skilled Worker and Scale-Up routes on or after 8 January 2026 will already have had to meet B2. Those who first applied in these routes before 8 January 2026, will only need to have met B1, and may therefore need to obtain new evidence or sit a new test.

• Partners of British citizens or settled persons
• Applicants on ten-year routes to settlement, including Long Residence, private life (main applicants and dependants), settlement family life, and bereaved partner routes.

The requirement therefore applies to most main applicants and dependants, with some exceptions, such as the Hong Kong BN(O) route.

Who is exempt from English language tests in general at the settlement stage?

• Nationals of majority English-speaking countries are automatically exempt from having to prove their English language proficiency. These include USA, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and some Caribbean nationals.
• Those with a degree taught in English may meet the requirement without having to sit a test. UK university graduates are automatically exempt. Those taught outside the UK will have to provide a certificate from ECCTIS.
• Those who have demonstrated English language in a previous application at the required level. Please note the point above about Skilled Worker applicants.
• Those aged 65 or over, under 18, or with a physical or mental condition which prevents them from meeting the English language requirement are exempt.

How difficult is it to meet B2?

The requirement for settlement relates to speaking and listening abilities, meaning that there is no reading and writing requirement.

These are the CEFR’s descriptions of level B1 and B2, for comparison:

Level B1

Described as ‘independent users’. They can:

• understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
• deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. 
• describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

Level B2

Described as ‘independent users’. They can:

• understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialisation.
• interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
• explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

The Cambridge English¹ site has created clips and commentary on what is considered to be level B2 here. Examples of B2 commentary include:

• There is a relatively high degree of grammatical control: errors do not impede understanding (“doing a cake”, “a special time in family”). Gabriela is able to self-correct (“the clients…the guests, sorry”).
• Gabriela generally produces clear, coherent language, using cohesive devices (“with my friends, and my boyfriend I used to spend my time, but here it’s more with my aunt and her family because I live with them.”).
• Rino uses some constructions accurately, (“That’s quite nice, to go on Saturday or Sunday to a big market to go around”) but there are frequent errors ( “free activities”, “I look very much television”, “an own flat”, “I’d like to prefer”. Although these errors do not impede understanding, he could not be said to maintain the relatively high degree of grammatical control required at B2, because there are elements of the “reasonable accuracy” associated with B1+.

There are clips and commentary available at the same link for B1, which can be looked at for comparison.

Quick online tests can be taken, such as on the British Council website, to get an approximate indication of English level.

How will this affect applicants and their employers?

If they do not qualify for the above exemptions, after 26 March 2027, those applying for settlement in these categories will need to allow sufficient time to reach B2 level.

B2 level requires a higher level of fluency, which some main applicants and dependant partners may struggle to meet, for example where long working hours or childcare commitments make extra study difficult.

Applicants who fail to satisfy the requirements may have to extend their permission to stay, rather than apply for settlement, resulting in further application fees and a postponement of their settlement in the UK. The rule change could prompt some candidates to reconsider relocating to the UK, particularly if there are concerns regarding their dependants’ eligibility for settlement.

If an individual is unable to satisfy the English language requirement, it may be possible to submit a discretionary application based on exceptional circumstances. However, such applications are determined solely at the discretion of the Home Office and carry a substantial risk of refusal.

Three key tips to prepare for this requirement are as follows:

• those on track to apply for settlement may wish to seek advice early, to check if they can apply for settlement prior to 26 March 2027, and if not, to ensure they understand the B2 English language requirement and the steps needed to meet it;
• individuals may wish to contact an approved English language test provider to assess their current English language level, and to seek advice on the duration and amount of study they may need to reach the required level;
• employers may wish to provide communications to staff and consider offering assistance with tuition fees or with English language test fees.

¹We cannot verify the accuracy of their resources. We are only including them here as an example.