ILR English Language Requirement Rising to B2 from March 2027
01 May 2026
If you are on a Skilled Worker, Partner/Spouse (Family), or similar visa and planning to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), a change to the Immigration Rules means the English language standard you need to meet is going up.
From 26 March 2027, the required level rises from B1 to B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The change was confirmed in Statement of Changes HC 1691, published in March 2026. If you apply for ILR before 26 March 2027, the current B1 requirement still applies to you. The higher B2 standard only kicks in for applications submitted on or after that date.
The routes affected by this change include Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Scale-up, Innovator Founder, UK Ancestry, and the Partner route under Appendix FM. Note that this ILR change is separate from an earlier update that already raised the English language bar for new Skilled Worker visa applications to B2 from 8 January 2026. That earlier change was about getting a Skilled Worker visa in the first place. This new change is specifically about settlement.
B2 is an upper-intermediate level. The IELTS equivalent is roughly a score of 5.5 to 6.0 in each component. You must use a Home Office approved test provider. As with B1, a degree or academic qualification taught and assessed in English from a recognised institution may count as evidence instead of a test.
If your ILR eligibility window opens well before March 2027, you are not affected. If you expect to apply for ILR in 2027 or later, start checking approved test providers now and make sure any test certificate you hold will still be valid at the time of your application.
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