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The proposal to move English language tests for migrants seeking UK visas entirely online has raised serious concerns from major international exam providers. These organisations, which currently administer the majority of English proficiency tests for visa applicants, have cautioned that such a shift may lead to increased opportunities for fraud and criminal involvement. The new £816 million contract aims to introduce a fully digital format for these exams, allowing candidates to take tests at locations of their own choosing, potentially starting as soon as December.
A prominent consortium consisting of the British Council, Cambridge University Press and Assessments, and the Australian company IDP—which together oversee around two-thirds of the existing face-to-face tests under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)—addressed a letter to the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood. They warned that remote testing could jeopardise efforts to protect UK borders, highlighting risks that include candidates cheating through impersonation, the use of screen-sharing, earpieces, or assistance from artificial intelligence tools. The letter emphasized that “remote exams face cheating on an order of magnitude greater than in-person assessments.”
Currently, migrants must demonstrate English language ability at one of over 1,300 test centres globally to obtain visas for work or study. However, the Home Office launched a tender last November seeking to implement fully remote English assessments running for five years from at least December 2026. This new system would let applicants pick the location for their test, provided the security measures were adequate. Additionally, from January, higher English proficiency levels, equivalent to A-level standards, have been required for skilled work visa applications and other categories.
While the Home Office refrains from commenting on the ongoing tender, it assures that providers meeting rigorous data security and fraud prevention standards will be chosen. The consortium, however, insists that the move to remote testing conflicts with the government’s goal of ensuring secure and trustworthy English exams, warning that it introduces “new and significant security vulnerabilities for the country.” They concluded that, due to the sensitive political context around migration, maintaining strict control and certainty over visa applicants is essential, not less. Notably, Australia banned remote language tests for migrants last August, reflecting similar security concerns internationally
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