UK to raise English language standards for migrants seeking residency

Migrants planning to settle in the United Kingdom will soon need to meet stricter English language requirements, as per a report by The Times. The new rules, expected to be part of Sir Keir Starmer’s immigration white paper, will raise the required level of English for permanent residency to a “fluent” standard. This could delay settlement for some applicants by up to ten years.

Currently, migrants need only a basic knowledge of English to qualify for long-term stay. Under the proposed policy, that requirement would rise to the equivalent of an A-level in English as a foreign language. According to a report by The Times, the Home Office defines this level as the ability to express oneself “fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions” and to speak English “flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.”

Ministers believe that raising the language standard is necessary for better integration into British society.

The Times also reported that the changes are aimed at reducing high net migration figures, which reached 728,000 last year. The government is expected to link the immigration reforms with efforts to boost employment among more than nine million economically inactive individuals in the UK.

The prime minister is likely to state that the current points-based immigration system, introduced after the UK’s exit from the EU, has not delivered the intended results. He is expected to announce reforms intended to cut net migration and support economic growth.

Government sources told The Times that the white paper will include steps to “take tighter control to deliver a system that is controlled, selective and fair.”