The Bottom Line
- For Skilled Worker route, GOV.UK states English must be at least <strong>B2</strong> (CEFR). Keep your evidence unambiguous and ready to share.
- Your goal is to reduce admin churn: label your English evidence clearly and keep a <strong>one-page “proof summary”</strong> that HR can understand instantly.
- Avoid “near misses”: wrong provider, wrong test type, expired evidence assumptions—use official lists and stick to clean documentation.
English evidence problems rarely show up as a dramatic rejection. They show up as delay—emails asking for ‘clarification’, repeated uploads, conflicting HR advice. Run this like a compliance task: one clean evidence route, clearly documented, and easy to audit.
How to think about this
The visa process is an evidence game. You’re not ‘arguing’ that your English is good—you are presenting <strong>recognised proof</strong> in a format that HR and UKVI can process without interpretation.
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Step 1 — Confirm the current requirement (don’t rely on hearsay)
Start from GOV.UK. Make sure you are reading the Skilled Worker requirement and any applicable Home Office guidance updates. Then decide the simplest acceptable route for you.
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Step 2 — Pick ONE evidence route and commit to it
The easiest route is the one that is uncontroversial and well-understood by HR. If you choose SELT: ensure provider is approved, test type is correct, and your report is clearly labelled.
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Step 3 — Create an “English proof summary” (HR-friendly)
One page: (a) route used, (b) test/degree details, (c) date, (d) reference/certificate number, (e) where the evidence is stored. This stops “please resend” loops.
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Step 4 — Preempt confusion with naming + file hygiene
Rename files like: “English_B2_SkilledWorker_Surname_YYYY-MM-DD.pdf”. HR teams are handling dozens of applicants; make it idiot-proof.
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Step 5 — If you are switching employers, re-check requirements early
A new job can trigger new visa steps. Don’t assume last year’s process matches today’s rules; re-validate on GOV.UK.
The ‘clean evidence’ checklist
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