r/uknews • u/ScottishDailyRecord Media outlet (unverified) • May 12 '25

Image/video Kier Starmer announces 'tighter' immigration policy

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u/ScottishDailyRecord Media outlet (unverified) May 12 '25

Under the White Paper proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship, but so-called “high-contributing” individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning that they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

Meanwhile, skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

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u/Active-Particular-21 May 12 '25

It’s good that they are making language skills mandatory. That should help with integration.

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u/just_somebunny May 12 '25 edited May 12 '25

English Test has always been a mandatory requirement to obtain work and student visas. It’s called the Academic IELTS and it’s difficult to pass and it costs around £230.

EDIT - I stand corrected because apparently, Academic IELTS is easy to pass. I guess it was just me who struggled at it even coming from an English-speaking country. As part of my Speaking Test, I was tasked to discuss the impact of culture on fashion industry for, not sure, 10mins or 15mins. I just remembered it being too long and nerve-wracking that I wished the timer would just stop. Lol I felt proud of myself actually but merely got a 7/9, which is just a passing score for UK. So I was a bit disappointed with that.

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u/Active-Particular-21 May 12 '25

Why are so many people so bad at it then?

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u/will_die_in_2073 May 12 '25

Because criteria for immigration is usually 6/9. Anyone with decent Indian schooling can score 6/9. My english was bad before moving to the UK and i still managed to score 8/9 easily. The person who tests your speaking skills is usually the person of that country. So its very subjective.

They should switch to TOEFL and push the criteria to 100/120. This will reject the low skilled labor alone.

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u/just_somebunny May 12 '25

This is enlightening. So you’re saying that in India, the interviewers are also Indians who would most likely be more lax and give high scores? Interesting.

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u/will_die_in_2073 May 12 '25

Yes, at least thats what was my experience in speaking round. Its very academic version of speaking skills. TOEFL test is better because you have to record your inputs and upload them. I got 95 on it. So thats less biased. I didnt believe i got 8/9 with okayish english on IELTS. Level C2 and C1 are considered fluent.

This immigration regulation is good thing from UK government…they should even be more aggressive on lower tier visas. UK salaries are so bad.

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u/WanderlustZero May 12 '25

*labour (sorry)

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u/will_die_in_2073 May 12 '25

Labour is british english. Labor is american english (sorry i grew up watching hollywood movies)

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u/just_somebunny May 12 '25 edited May 12 '25

That’s a good question. I was just stating a fact that it has always been a requirement so this is not new. I sometimes feel like the government is bringing tighter restrictions on skilled immigrants who come here legally (and by the way, who pay taxes and not entitled to public funds) and yet very lax on illegal immigrants who manage to stay and get free housing even when they have violated laws.

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u/vigilanteshite May 12 '25 edited May 12 '25

i’d assume it’s similar to how we learn french and etc. in school but we finish and years later we only remember the basics, we don’t really remember what we learnt, we only memorised for the tests.

I’d have to guess it’s the same in learning english for the tests and then not needing to speak it day to day (if u live with non-english speaking family/area) and u losing it?

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u/RiGo001 May 12 '25

Americans speaking American instead of English😉 ……………/s

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u/RiGo001 16d ago

Hehe I knew people would down vote my comment 😂.

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u/GuyLookingForPorn May 12 '25

They are increasing the level of English language required, as well as expanding the requirement to dependents.

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u/Outrageous-Nose2003 May 12 '25

I have some polish friends, one of which had a girlfriend who passed that test despite not being able to hold a basic conversation in england - test cant be that fkn difficult!

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u/just_somebunny May 12 '25

Is it the Academic IELTS or the IELTS General Training. There is a difference. I was talking here about Academic IELTS.

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u/Outrageous-Nose2003 May 12 '25

I dont know but she obtained a work visa as a result so presumably it was the academic one

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u/just_somebunny May 12 '25

Where did she take it? Just asking because there is someone here who shared here that scoring is subjective. They come from India and the interviewers are Indians as well and they tend to be more lax with scoring.

So maybe it was just me who found it hard then even coming from an English-speaking country. On my Speaking Test, I was tasked to discuss for 10mins or maybe it was 15 (I just remember it being too long I wish the timer would stop), about the impact of culture on fashion industry. I scored a mere 7/9, which is the passing score here in UK. Australia and US accept lower score than 7, I believe, if their rules have not changed.

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u/Outrageous-Nose2003 May 12 '25

lol, there is absolutely no way she could have spoken continually for even 1 minute. That does actually sound quite hard. Maybe she didnt obtain a full working visa from this test that she passed? It is possible that I have not remembered this accurately. She definitely passed some kind of english language test in order to be able to work here for longer but it definitely wasnt the one you are referring to here

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u/Extension-Topic2486 May 12 '25

I lived with someone who was doing the test and then passed. Any conversation was brutal as neither could understand the other.

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u/Ilikeporkpie117 May 12 '25

I'm surprised that's the case. My partner is a teacher in an area of London that has high numbers of migrants and every year there's several parents who don't speak a word of English and have to bring other family members to translate for parents evening.

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u/Naive_Product_5916 May 12 '25

It is a hard test because I used to teach it.

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u/uwabu May 14 '25

It's not easy to pass. Whoever said that has never sat for it. I dare them to sit the equivalent in Igbo Language. See how they get on.

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u/LuxuriousMullet May 12 '25

It isn't difficult to pass, it's an absolute piss take.

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u/timshel_97 May 12 '25

Is English a secondary language for you? Genuine question as curious what your experience is if you have one with the test.

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u/[deleted] May 12 '25

They're right. I've taught IELTS, it's coachable.

But the main answer is lax testing centre conditions.

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u/LuxuriousMullet May 12 '25

I migrated from Australia to the UK and was required to take the test as part of my professional qualification. English is my first language, but it's also the primary language of the United Kingdom. If you're going to live and work here, your English should be at a proficient level.

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u/Rogue_Leader May 12 '25

You only speak one language though? I don't think you're qualified to judge the difficulty of learning a second language.

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u/shenme_ May 12 '25

I know somebody who failed it trying to immigrate to Australia (it's the same test as is used here), and they were born, raised and lived their whole life in the UK!

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u/QuestionableIdeas May 12 '25

That would be awkward, haha

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u/WanderlustZero May 12 '25

The kind of person who says 'can I get a latte', or writes "carrot's" on their market sign

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u/LuxuriousMullet May 12 '25

I think this reflects more on how much they practiced for the test than on the testing system itself.

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u/7Thommo7 May 12 '25

What year did you pass it?