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Written Question
Migrant Workers: Visas
Wednesday 27th September 2023

Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Murray of Blidworth on 18 September (HL9792), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, what proportion of shortage occupation skilled worker visa applicants have passed the English language test requirements in the past six months broken down by occupation type.

Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth

As the Government set out in the previous answer, the requirement to speak English is a core principle of the points-based immigration system – including for occupations on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). All successful applicants for the Skilled Worker visa (which include SOL occupations) will have demonstrated they can read, write, speak, and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

It is not possible to provide data on those who do not pass because in many cases, people will simply not make or complete an application, but no reason will be captured in these cases.

The latest published immigration statistics, up to year-ending June 2023, show that there were 190,711 grants to Skilled Worker visa applicants (which includes the Skilled Worker and Health & Care Worker visa). The immigration statistics also provide a breakdown of applications by occupation, and can be accessed here: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2023/why-do-people-come-to-the-uk-to-work

Written Question
Migrant Workers: Visas
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of shortage occupation skilled worker visa applicants have passed the English language test requirements in the last six months broken down by occupation type.

Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth

The requirement to speak English is a core principle of the points-based immigration system – including for occupations on the Shortage Occupation List. All successful applicants for the Skilled Worker visa will have demonstrated they can read, write, speak, and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

Further information on the English language requirement can be found on the .gov webpage overview of the Skilled Worker route, accessible here:

www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/knowledge-of-english

Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 10 Oct 2017
Data Protection Bill [HL]

"My Lords, as the economy becomes more digitised, the politics of data become centrally important. As the Minister himself said, data is the fuel of the digital economy, and public policy now needs an agile framework around which to balance the forces at play. We need to power the economy …..."
Lord Knight of Weymouth - View Speech

View all Lord Knight of Weymouth (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Data Protection Bill [HL]
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 16 Jul 2014
Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Bill

"I apologise for intervening in the Minister’s speech, but given that he has just been interrupted anyway, on the same point, can he clarify that Clause 4, “Extra-territoriality in Part 1 of RIPA”, is not an extension of the legal powers that the state has in respect of these matters?..."
Lord Knight of Weymouth - View Speech

View all Lord Knight of Weymouth (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 16 Jul 2014
Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Bill

"My Lords, I have to start —like the noble Lord, Lord Butler, who made such an excellent contribution—by saying that the Government’s handling of this Bill has been a disgrace. I cannot repeat any better why it is a disgrace, and it would be ridiculous of me to try to …..."
Lord Knight of Weymouth - View Speech

View all Lord Knight of Weymouth (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 05 Jul 2012
Horses: Transportation

"My Lords, as my noble friend Lady Mallalieu said in her authoritative speech, this is a timely debate because we finally have the opportunity to make some good progress on this important issue. I am delighted to join not only the consensus in congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Higgins, on …..."
Lord Knight of Weymouth - View Speech

View all Lord Knight of Weymouth (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Horses: Transportation
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 24 May 2012
Food Security Policy

"My Lords, I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Miller, for instigating this debate and congratulate her on her timing. There can have been no more topical time to discuss this, given the establishment of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition by the G8 last weekend and given …..."
Lord Knight of Weymouth - View Speech

View all Lord Knight of Weymouth (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Food Security Policy
Speech in Grand Committee - Tue 04 Oct 2011
Education Bill

"My Lords, I wanted in part to make a contribution so that anyone reading the proceedings of this Committee did not feel there were one or two isolated voices concerned about these proposals. The strength with which the arguments were made by my noble friend Lord Stevenson in particular do …..."
Lord Knight of Weymouth - View Speech

View all Lord Knight of Weymouth (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Education Bill
Speech in Grand Committee - Tue 04 Oct 2011
Education Bill

"Before the Minister stands up, perhaps I could try to be helpful. This is a key question. My understanding is that the only circumstance in which RPI is lower than CPI is when mortgage interest rates are falling and that is relatively unusual, although we have experienced a bit of …..."
Lord Knight of Weymouth - View Speech

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Speech in Grand Committee - Tue 04 Oct 2011
Education Bill

"Before the Minister sits down, could she answer the question that I asked quite directly about whether it is a condition of being able to sell the Student Loans Company book that this arrangement around interest rates is applied?..."
Lord Knight of Weymouth - View Speech

View all Lord Knight of Weymouth (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Education Bill