The UK government has announced important changes to language testing for visa applications, reducing the number of tests accepted for visa purposes and bringing in new requirements for the way the tests will be administered, the British Council said in a statement yesterday.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS), described as “the world’s most popular test of English for higher education and global migration,” has been approved for all UK visas that require applicants to provide proof of their level of English.
This continues the important role which IELTS has long played in language testing for immigration in the UK and other countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Under the new arrangements, IELTS tests for UK visa applications will be offered throughout the year in more than 100 key locations throughout the world, and a new test -IELTS Life Skills - will be introduced for people who need to prove their speaking and listening skills at level A1 or B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
According to information provided on www.ielts.org the IELTS Life Skills test has to be taken by a candidate with another test taker and an examiner. The performance on both speaking and listening will be assessed during this one session.
IELTS Life Skills test has been designed to meet specific immigration requirements for which applicants only need to demonstrate speaking and listening skills. The test at CEFR Level A1 takes 16-18 minutes and Level B1 is 22 minutes.
A certificated IELTS examiner will assess the candidates’ performance throughout the speaking and listening test based on the following criteria: obtaining information, conveying information, speaking to communicate, and engaging in discussion.
The performance of the other test taker paired with a candidate in IELTS Life Skills test does not affect the assessment of the candidate’s own performance.
IELTS tests for visa purposes can only be taken at authorised centres and the centre must follow procedures specified by the UK government. When a test is booked, the candidate must specify what the test is for and ensure that the centre is authorised to run tests for this purpose. A list of the authorised IELTS test centres can be found on www.ielts.org.
IELTS tests for UK Visas and Immigration are managed by the IELTS SELT Consortia, which comprises British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment.
IELTS, jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment, has played a key role in language testing for immigration purposes throughout its 25-year history and is recognised by more than 9,000 organisations around the world including universities and employers in many countries, as well as by professional bodies, immigration authorities and other government agencies. More than 2.5mn IELTS tests were taken in 2014 in more than 140 countries.
More information on the UK Visas & Immigration announcement could be had from www.gov.uk
