UK to require stronger English for settlement

The UK government said most migrants applying for permanent settlement will have to meet a higher English language standard from March 2027, raising the requirement from the current GCSE equivalent level to an A-level equivalent standard. The change was announced by the Home Office on 05 March 2026 as part of its “Earned Settlement” reforms.

In practical terms, the new requirement means applicants will need to show CEFR B2 English, up from B1. That is generally considered upper-intermediate English. It is not beginner-level English, and it is not native-level fluency, but it means a person can usually read, write, speak, and understand English with confidence in work and daily life. The Home Office’s explanatory memorandum said the rule “increases the English language requirement for settlement to B2 level.”

The Home Office said applicants will need to prove the standard in reading, writing, speaking, and listening through a test with a Home Office-approved provider. It added that moving from the old level to the new one takes an estimated 200 hours of learning.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in her official speech on immigration that those seeking settlement “will need to speak English as a foreign language to A-Level Standard.” She added: “Work hard, learn the language, and contribute to your community. That is the contract we are now writing into law.”

The government said the change follows similar rules already introduced for most work visa applicants in January 2026, who now also have to meet the higher A-level equivalent standard. It described stronger English proficiency as the “single easiest path to integration and contribution.”

The language rule is part of a broader settlement overhaul still under consultation. Mahmood said the government wants the normal qualifying period for settlement to move from five years to 10 years for most migrants, while some public service workers, such as doctors and nurses, and some high contributors could qualify sooner. The Home Office said it received more than 200,000 responses to that consultation before it closed in February.