GOV.UK updates the English language requirement table for visa applications
09 Aug 2026
GOV.UK has updated its guidance page listing the English language level you need for different visa applications. The page was last updated on 7 August 2026.
If you're on a Family visa, the table shows you need level A1 for entry clearance and your first permission to stay, then A2 when you extend. If you're on a Skilled Worker visa, the standard requirement is B2, but there's an exception: if your most recent permission was a Skilled Worker visa granted under a B1 requirement, that lower B1 level can still apply. Scale-up workers have a similar B1 exception if their previous permission was granted at that level.
This table covers many other routes too, including Student, T2 Minister of Religion, High Potential Individual, Innovator Founder, and International Sportsperson visas, each with its own required CEFR level.
If you're due to apply for a visa or extend one, check the table for your specific route before booking an English test, so you take the right test at the right level.
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