UK visa applicants face tougher English tests, 3% higher fund rules

UK tightens visa rules with tougher English tests, higher funds, shorter post-study stays and higher employer charges, impacting Indian students and workers

Studying in the UK is set to become tougher and more expensive. The UK government on Tuesday tabled tougher English language requirements for visa applicants, including those from India, in Parliament as part of a wider crackdown on high immigration levels.

 

The new “Secure English Language Test” will be conducted by a UK Home Office-approved provider, with results verified during the visa process for all skilled workers from January 8, 2026.

 

Applicants will need to demonstrate speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills equivalent to A-Level or Class 12, referred to as level B2. The Home Office said this would ensure migrants are “better able to integrate into life in the UK.”

 

 

“This country has always welcomed those who come to this country and contribute, but it is unacceptable for migrants to come here without learning our language, unable to contribute to our national life,” said UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. “If you come to this country, you must learn our language and play your part,” she said.

 

Key changes

 

• New Secure English Language Test mandatory for skilled workers from January 8, 2026

• English proficiency level raised to B2 (A-Level or Class 12 standard)

• Graduate Route visa job search period cut from two years to 18 months from January 1, 2027

• PhD graduates retain three-year post-study work permission

• Student visa maintenance funds increased to £1,529 (Rs 1.8 lakh) per month for London and £1,171 elsewhere

• Immigration Skills Charge raised by 32 per cent for sponsoring employers

• HPI route expanded to include double the number of eligible universities

• Annual cap on HPI visas set at 8,000

• Further reforms planned for Global Talent and Innovator Founder routes 

 

Graduate visa duration to be shortened

 

The proposals, laid out in a written ministerial statement in the House of Commons, form part of the Labour government’s ‘Immigration White Paper’ published in May.

 

From January 1, 2027, international students under the Graduate Route visa will have only 18 months to secure a graduate-level job, down from the current two years. The route has been particularly popular among Indian students. However, PhD graduates will continue to receive three years’ post-study permission.

 

“This change is informed by data showing that too many graduates are not progressing into graduate-level employment, which the Graduate Route was created to facilitate access to,” said Home Office Minister Mike Tapp.

 

Higher financial proof for student visas

 

Financial requirements will also increase for the 2025–2026 academic year. Students will need to show they have sufficient funds to support themselves — £1,529 per month if studying in London, up from £1,483, and £1,171 elsewhere in the UK, up from £1,136.

 

Employers face higher immigration charges

 

The Immigration Skills Charge (ISC), a levy paid by UK employers sponsoring skilled foreign workers, will rise by 32 per cent. Small or charitable organisations will pay £480 per worker per year (up from £364), while larger organisations will pay £1,320 (up from £1,000).

 

“The ISC increase is the first since 2017 and will be used to boost investment in British workers and reduce reliance on overseas recruitment,” the Home Office said.

 

High-skilled routes and HPI visa changes

 

Other measures include doubling the number of universities whose graduates can apply under the High Potential Individual (HPI) route and capping total HPI visas at 8,000 annually.

 

The number of people entering the UK through this route is expected to rise from 2,000 to 4,000. The Home Office said this would allow graduates from top global universities to build their careers in the UK.

 

It also plans to expand high-skilled pathways such as the Global Talent route next year, focusing on researchers, designers, and creatives in film and television. “The world’s most talented entrepreneurs studying in the UK will also be able to seamlessly establish innovative business ventures in the UK after concluding their studies, while transitioning from a student visa to the Innovator Founder route,” the Home Office said.

 

Indian students likely to feel the impact

 

The changes are expected to affect Indian students, who form one of the largest groups in the UK’s international education sector. In 2024, around 98,890 students from India were enrolled in British universities, according to official data.