UK is preparing to implement a new English language testing system for visas
Secure English language testing system will be redesigned by the UK Home Office. The UK Home Office is interacting with the industry over ideas to construct a new Secure English Language Testing model at an estimated cost of £1.13 billion, which is being developed by one supplier.
It seems that the government intends to switch from the present concession model, which is based on several vendors approved by the Home Office, to a specific test that is owned by the Home Office and created by a single supplier.
The government said it will interact with the market through UK Visas and Immigration to learn about the “products, services and innovations available,” inviting vendors to express interest.
With a contract value estimated at £1.13 billion, the service “is planned to be disaggregated into two service lines”: the creation and continuous maintenance of a test branded with the Home Office for use worldwide, and the facilitation of testing globally, as stated by the Home Office.
This involves creating and maintaining a website where clients may schedule exams and get their results, as well as physical testing facilities, invigilators, and ID-verification services.
According to the Home Office, “testing the feasibility of potential procurement options and the market’s capacity and capability for delivery” would be part of the engagement process.
In the UK, Home Office-approved SELTs are now provided by Pearson, IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, and Trinity College London.
Pearson, IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, and PSI Services Ltd – Skills for English (UKVI), which was purchased by language testing behemoth ETS in January 2024, are the companies that administer examinations outside of the UK.
Because of the Canadian government’s endorsement of the exam, Pearson’s English language testing volumes increased by 49% last year, which resulted in a 31% increase in Pearson’s earnings on 2022.
Certain immigration channels, such as student visas, require tests to verify English language proficiency.
As a result, the new HOELT will evaluate candidates’ proficiency in speaking, listening, and, depending on the route, reading and writing English.
On its official website, IELT claims that in 2023, the company administered more than four million English language exams worldwide.
“UKVI is seeking to procure a dedicated test to be owned by the Home Office and used by all customers globally,” the government tender states. Additionally, the selected test developer will be in charge of:
- Updating and maintaining the test
- Offering a test delivery method to evaluate a customer’s proficiency in the English language
- Securely obtaining test data from testing locations, scoring the exam, and returning test results
- Assessing and moderating each exam that is taken
- Carrying out fraud inspections
- Acquiring impartial confirmation of the examination
The Home Office website allows suppliers to indicate their interest, and on September 25, a virtual industry day is scheduled.
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