Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of waiving the written aspect of the English Language Test requirement for the Skilled Worker Visa where the role is manual.

The English language requirements for the Skilled Worker visa route are not only concerned with the level of English needed to do the job; they are fundamental to successful integration into British society, helping migrants to participate in community, life and work.

In its 2022 annual report, the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) emphasised the importance of the English language in helping workers understand their rights and protect themselves against exploitation. The MAC strongly recommend against lowering or removing the English language requirement.