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Original poster

Migrants required to pass A Level Standard of English

207 replies

onceuponatimeinneverland · 14/10/2025 17:18

www.gov.uk/government/news/migrants-will-be-required-to-pass-a-level-standard-of-english
Just heard this on the news. Is it me or is it totally mad? Especially when you look at the relatively poor standard of speaking, listening, reading and writing that exists already for those actually born in the UK rather than migrating in.

I'm presuming that applicants won't actually have to sit A Level English language as that would be even madder.

Or maybe its entirely sensible. I'm all for having a literal workforce.

What do other countries request I wonder (can't be fussed to actually look).

Yes I am BU - A Level standard English is the bare minimum
No you aren't BU - Its mad

Migrants will be required to pass A Level standard of English

Migrants will be required to pass tough new English language requirements under a law introduced in Parliament today.

http://www.gov.uk/government/news/migrants-will-be-required-to-pass-a-level-standard-of-english

OP posts:
WestwardHo1 · 14/10/2025 18:09

And actually an A level in a foreign language is still a very very long way away from being to fully integrate.

I got a B at A level German. Even when I passed it, I couldn't chat with a German with any fluency at all

Dolphinnoises · 14/10/2025 18:07

They’re not talking about A Level English as we understand it. They’re talking about English to the standard your French would be if you have A Level French. C2 standard.

Octavia64 · 14/10/2025 18:07

B2 sounds perfectly reasonable.

i have friends who have taken up citizenship in other European countries and they needed to do a language test to get to B2.

it’s not a-level in the sense of writing essays about books. It’s a level in the sense of being harder than (eg gcse German). I have gcse French and couldn’t begin to live and work in France.

Thirteencats · 14/10/2025 18:05

Seems entirely sensible to me

WestwardHo1 · 14/10/2025 18:04

Are there two separate English language A levels? One for first language English speakers which (I believe) includes stuff about linguistics and accents etc, and one for those for whom English is an additional language? I think that's what's done in Wales with the Welsh A Levels. Excuse me if I'm talking bollocks.

I do agree that the standard of written and spoken English amongst the native population is pitiful.

I spoke to a very lovely Hungarian taxi driver not long ago who had been here since 2015 and his English was still very rudimentary. He tried his best and it hasn't stopped him integrating. It was in a place with a really strong regional dialect too, which can't have helped.

Original poster
onceuponatimeinneverland · 14/10/2025 18:03

ooooh they've just mentioned B2 on the news (Radio 4 6pm)

OP posts:
HilaryThorpe · 14/10/2025 18:03

Crossed post emboxing. 🙂

Dangitydang · 14/10/2025 18:02

Lougle · 14/10/2025 17:57

I noticed that some universities are accepting Duolingo scores as proof of English literacy

https://englishtest.duolingo.com/test_takers/accepting_institutions

What a shitshow. Should always be IELTS done by proper exam centre. And even yhen some fraud still happens.
This would eplains a lot...

Original poster
onceuponatimeinneverland · 14/10/2025 18:02

HilaryThorpe · 14/10/2025 18:00

I think A level is irrelevant. It should surely be a B2 in the European framework, as it is in many European countries.
Apologies for AI:
The B2 European standard, also known as the Upper Intermediate level, describes a language user who can understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics. At this level, a person can interact with native speakers with a good degree of fluency and spontaneity, and produce clear, detailed text on a variety of subjects. This is often considered a level where users can function independently in many social and professional environments.

Its what the press release says - A Level and they've just repeated it on the 6pm headlines on the Radio 4 news. So it must be right (tongue firmly in cheek).

OP posts:
Hopewewill · 14/10/2025 18:01

I think it's ambitious. Immigrants sometimes have no English language and no education at all from their home country.

HilaryThorpe · 14/10/2025 18:00

I think A level is irrelevant. It should surely be a B2 in the European framework, as it is in many European countries.
Apologies for AI:
The B2 European standard, also known as the Upper Intermediate level, describes a language user who can understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics. At this level, a person can interact with native speakers with a good degree of fluency and spontaneity, and produce clear, detailed text on a variety of subjects. This is often considered a level where users can function independently in many social and professional environments.

Original poster
onceuponatimeinneverland · 14/10/2025 17:59

emboxing · 14/10/2025 17:47

This press release is awful and has been designed to appeal to the flag shaggers. Go and read the actual white paper - it's available here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821aec3f16c0654b19060ac/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-white-paper.pdf - and look at the English requirements paragraphs 254 - 257.

They are increasing the English language requirements for most immigrants from B1 to B2 on the CEFR language scale. This is not the equivalent of A-level English Language but is approximately the same level as an A-level in a foreign language i.e. French or German.

FFS.

Its definitely a headline grabber, especially as there is other important stuff contained in the paper worthy of more attention.

And then right at the end is a sentence or two about all visitors from Botswana now requiring a visa which seems like a different topic and merits its own press release.

OP posts:
AngelinaFibres · 14/10/2025 17:58

onceuponatimeinneverland · 14/10/2025 17:29

erm yes.
See, that's where A Level English Language gets you. I am not retaking it! I'll see if I can amend, but I don't think I can for some reason.

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I don't remember A level English language being an exam. GCSE English language ( O level in my case) definitely but by A level the only option was English literature ( which I did take).

toffeeappleturnip · 14/10/2025 17:55

JurassicPark4Eva · 14/10/2025 17:48

Might as well send me home to, erm, Glasgow then as my sponges are atrocious.

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At least you've attempted one, that's a pass!

Bumblebee72 · 14/10/2025 17:54

Underthinker · 14/10/2025 17:31

Have heard that statistic before but it doesn't make sense to me. It implies that the population's average reading ability doesn't improve after age 11.Can't be true can it?

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I suspect whoever calculated the statistic had a low maths calculating age.

Utahthecat · 14/10/2025 17:53

Just copying the French ;) B1 is the level used for French nationality at the moment, and they are upping it to B2 from January.

I'd hope A levels require more than a B2 level of English!

Dangitydang · 14/10/2025 17:52

emboxing · 14/10/2025 17:50

Because most native UK residents are monoglots who won't even have heard of the CEFR.

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True. Still could have been worded in much better way

nonevernotever · 14/10/2025 17:52

And B2 on the CEFR scale is equivalent to what a lot of other countries require. Eg iirc France, Poland and Luxembourg all require B2 level for citizenship.

ginasevern · 14/10/2025 17:52

I'm all for it. My neighbours are Sudanese (man, man's brother and his wife). They're in their mid forties and have been here 15 years. None of them can hold a conversation in English. They can say individual words but even some of those are pretty garbled. They certainly don't appear to have any learning difficulties or disabilities. I really don't see how this benefits us or them.

MocktailMe · 14/10/2025 17:51

As another user says, I have a GCSE in MFL which does not get me far.

Id hope to be at least a Level fluent in a MFL before moving there!

This is not English A - Level as in writing essays about Wuthering Heights. This is the English AS a MFL - the equivalency of a German A Level for us native English speakers.

emboxing · 14/10/2025 17:50

Dangitydang · 14/10/2025 17:48

It's B2 level, so up from B1 which is actually quite accept imho. Especially consider for which visa it is meant for. I don't understand why they didn't just saying like that.
I think they should up citizenship English level requirement to B2 too if I am honest.

Edited

Because most native UK residents are monoglots who won't even have heard of the CEFR.

Dangitydang · 14/10/2025 17:48

It's B2 level, so up from B1 which is actually quite accept imho. Especially consider for which visa it is meant for. I don't understand why they didn't just saying like that.
I think they should up citizenship English level requirement to B2 too if I am honest.

Jaxhog · 14/10/2025 17:48

Perhaps this says more about the current standard of English needed for an A Level!

JurassicPark4Eva · 14/10/2025 17:48

toffeeappleturnip · 14/10/2025 17:37

I think they should have to be able to make a good roast dinner, a proper cup of tea and a Victoria sponge.

Might as well send me home to, erm, Glasgow then as my sponges are atrocious.