"you must learn our language and play your part.”
Under new plans announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, migrants will need A-level standard English to work in the UK.
Ms Mahmood confirmed the government will raise the minimum English requirement from the current lower-grade GCSE level to the equivalent of A-level across speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
She said it was “unacceptable” for migrants to come to the UK “without learning our language”, claiming they were “unable to contribute to our national life”.
From January 8, 2026, migrants applying for the skilled worker, high-potential individual, or scale-up visa routes will need to demonstrate B2 level English, equivalent to A-level proficiency.
To qualify for a skilled worker visa, applicants must earn at least £41,700 per year or the “going rate” for their occupation, whichever is higher.
The high-potential individual visa applies to those with a university degree, master’s, or PhD from a recognised global institution.
The scale-up visa allows fast-growing UK businesses to recruit overseas workers.
According to the Home Office, increased language standards for other routes, including dependents, will be announced soon.
The English requirement was first proposed in May’s immigration white paper. The B2 standard means migrants must express themselves “fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expression,” and communicate flexibly in social, academic, and work settings.
Applicants will need to pass a Home Office-approved language test before arriving in the UK.
According to the 2021 Census, 43.9% of people in the UK who do not report English as their main language can speak it very well. Another 35.8% can speak it well.
However, literacy challenges remain among native speakers.
The National Literacy Trust found that 18% of adults in England aged 16 to 65, around 6.6 million people, have very poor literacy skills.
The government will also reduce the period international graduates can remain in the UK to seek work.
From January 1, 2027, graduates will have 18 months to find a suitable job, down from the current two years.
Ms Mahmood said: “This country has always welcomed those who come to this country and contribute.
“But it is unacceptable for migrants to come here without learning our language, unable to contribute to our national life.”
“If you come to this country, you must learn our language and play your part.”
The immigration skills charge, which is paid by employers sponsoring skilled foreign workers to come to the UK, is also being raised by 32%, to £480 per person.
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