Which UK Visa Routes Require the HOELT?

The Skilled Worker visa is the primary route for overseas nationals taking up employment in the UK. From December 2026, all new Skilled Worker visa applicants who need to demonstrate English language ability will be required to pass the HOELT instead of the current approved SELTs such as Trinity ISE II or LanguageCert B2. The HOELT must be passed at CEFR B2 level across all four skills: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking.

ILR is the gateway to permanent settlement in the UK. From March 2027, applicants for ILR who are required to demonstrate English language ability must use the HOELT. This affects applicants on the Skilled Worker, Scale-Up, Health and Care, and other routes applying for settlement after five years of continuous residence. If your ILR eligibility date falls after March 2027, you will need to sit and pass the HOELT.

The Health and Care visa allows medical and social care professionals to work in the UK NHS and adult social care sector. Health and Care visa applicants who need to provide English language evidence will need to pass the HOELT from December 2026 onwards. This replaces the current requirement to pass an approved SELT such as Trinity ISE II or IELTS Life Skills.

Adult Dependant Relative visa applicants who are required to demonstrate English proficiency will need to pass the HOELT from December 2026. This replaces currently accepted SELT tests for this route.

The Scale-Up visa is for highly skilled workers joining fast-growing UK businesses. Scale-Up visa applicants will need to demonstrate their English language ability using the HOELT from December 2026, replacing the current range of accepted SELTs.

The HPI visa is for recent graduates of top global universities who want to work or look for work in the UK. From December 2026, HPI visa applicants will need to pass the HOELT for their English language requirement.