The UK government’s immigration white paper, which was released in full today, lays out changes to English language requirements across every visa route, and for dependants, as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer set out plans to fix the country’s “broken” immigration system.
“When people come to our country, they should also commit to integration and to learning our language and our system should actively distinguish between those that do and those that don’t,” said Starmer in a press conference on May 12 ahead of the release of the highly anticipated immigration white paper.
Starmer also said that the requirements to secure study, work and family visas would be tightened.
He pledged that language requirements would be raised “across every immigration route” to make sure that those living and working in the UK have a good grasp of English.
For the first time, adult dependants will have to show they have a “basic understanding” of English, which Starmer said would help them integrate into their local community, find work and reduce their risk of exploitation and abuse.
International students are usually required to meet a certain level of English to enrol on a program in the UK, but until now there has been no need for their adult dependants to prove their language proficiency.
Dependants will now have to show they have a basic grasp of English (at an A1 level) to enter the country, showing progression to A2 level over time for any visa extension and B2 (independent user) to secure settled status.
English language requirements will also be raised for skilled workers, and workers where a language requirement already applies, from B1 to B2, in accordance with the Common European Framework.
Meanwhile, the immigration white paper laid out plans to reduce the Graduate Route by six months to a total of 18 months.
And it was announced that international migrants will now have to spend 10 years in the country before they are able to apply for citizenship – double the requirement of applying for a visa in the US.
Despite taking aim at the Conservative government’s approach to immigration, which saw net migration numbers soar to a high of 906,000 in the year ending June 2023, Starmer stressed that migration had brought benefits to the UK.
“Migration is part of Britain’s national story. Migrants were part of that and they make a massive contribution today and you will never hear me denigrate that,” he said.
