Effective 6 April 2011, the UK government introduced a new requirement for skilled and highly skilled migrants applying for settlement: they must now pass the Life in the UK test. This test demonstrates their knowledge of language and life (KoLL) requirements.
Migrants can no longer rely on the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) qualification to meet their KoLL requirement, unless they fall under specific transitional arrangements.
The new rule affects migrants in the following categories:
- Tier 1 (Exceptional talent)
- Tier 1 (General)
- Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)
- Tier 1 (Investor)
- Tier 2 (Intra company transfer)
- Tier 2 (General)
- Tier 2 (Minister of religion)
- Tier 2 (Sportsperson)
- work permit holder
- highly skilled migrant (excluding those covered by the HSMP ILR Judicial Review policy document)
- representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation
- representative of an overseas business
- overseas government employee
- minister of religion, religious missionary, or member of a religious order
- airport-based operational ground staff of overseas-owned airlines
- person intending to establish themselves in business
- innovator
- person intending to establish themselves in business under the provisions of EC Association Agreements
- investor
- writer, composer or artist
Any migrants who enrolled on an ESOL course or gained the qualification prior to 23 November 2001 will be able to make an application under the transitional arrangements and rely on the same to meet the KoLL requirement – regardless of the date of application.
