UK Visas and Immigration Announces Major Overhaul in English Testing with Global Reach
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The government is gearing towards a new concession model, distinct from the current multiple Home Office-approved suppliers’ concession model, and moving towards ownership of a single test, designed by a single supplier, under the Home Office.
The government, through UK Visas and Immigration, has unveiled plans to engage with the market to assess, among other things, the “products, services, and innovations that are available to the public.” This means suppliers should register their interest.
The service, with a contract value estimated at around £1.13 billion, will be allocated to developing and maintaining a Home Office-branded test for use worldwide for all HOELTs and organising tests globally.
This includes an online portal where customers can book tests and receive results, physical testing centres, proctors, and ID authentication solutions.
The Home Office confirmed that it will “also cover testing the viability of potential procurement approaches and the market’s ability/capacity to deliver.”
Pearson, IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, and Trinity College London currently offer Home Office-approved SELTs in the United Kingdom.
Elsewhere, these tests are administered by Pearson, IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, and PSI Services Ltd—Skills for English (UKVI), which was acquired by IELTS major player ETS in January 2024.
The number of tests conducted by Pearson last year increased by 49%, mainly due to the Canadian government’s recognition of the test. This led to a 31% increase in profit for Pearson for the financial year 2022.
Some immigration categories, such as student visas, necessitate passing tests to prove English proficiency.
Thus, the new HOELT will assess the applicant’s ability to speak, listen, read, and write English, depending on the chosen route.
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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