Migrants required to pass A Level Standard of English

[onceuponatimeinneverland]

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

For those asking about literacy levels:-

https://literacytrust.org.uk/parents-and-families/adult-literacy/what-do-adult-literacy-levels-mean/ has a good explainer.

This stood out for me

' More recently, in 2024, the OECD published data from its Survey of Adult Skills, known as PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies). This survey found that 18% (or 1 in 6) adults in England had low proficiency in literacy, or literacy levels at or below Level 1, considered to be 'very poor literacy skills'. This compares with 16.4% (also 1 in 6) who had low proficiency when the previous report was published in 2015.'

Level 1 OECD explainer:

• Below Level 1: Adults can read brief texts on familiar topics and locate a single piece of specific information. Only basic vocabulary knowledge is required and the adult is not required to understand the structure of sentences or paragraphs.
• Level 1: Adults can read relatively short di gital or print texts to locate a single piece of information that is identical to or synonymous with the information given in the question. Knowledge and skill in recognising basic vocabulary, determining the meaning of sentences, and reading short paragraphs of text is expected.

OECD reckon a Level 3 is the minimum for coping with 'everday life'.

This. I expect it's the equivalent of an A level in a foreign language. Which is not unreasonable at all.

I expect that many of the migrants who are currently here and are not fluent in English are family members of those who are here to work, as presumably those who are here to work will have the requisite level of language skills to work here. Do these rules extend to the entire family? It isn't clear from the reportage.

Or maybe it says reading abilities have deteriorated dramatically since they were originally set and they haven't yet reset the standards.

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.

The devil is in the detail. From the link in your OP:

Immigrants applying through certain legal routes must meet an A level equivalent standard in speaking, listening, reading and writing.

There is no clarification about what "certain legal routes" means. I think there are some jobs where a high standard of English is very important and I don't think it's unreasonable to make it part of the criteria for obtaining a visa. I think I'll wait and see how it turns out. I suspect it's Labour trying to appear as if they are taking action on controlling immigration but in reality this policy will affect very few people which will be a gift for Reform. I think Keir should apply to be their campaign manager for the next election, he seems to be doing it now without renumeration.

it's ok to have higher standards for those wishing to emigrate here than are born here. It doesn’t have to be a race to the bottom.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

True. Still could have been worded in much better way

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!

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

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

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

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

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).

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.

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.

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

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).

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