No. Today, a partner or child joining a UK Skilled Worker doesn't need to pass an English test, either to get the visa or to extend it. The Immigration Rules only set an English requirement for the main Skilled Worker and for settlement. The government has proposed an A1 English requirement for adult dependants, but it isn't in the Rules and has no start date.
The English test comes later, at settlement. A partner aged 18 or over needs English to get indefinite leave to remain (ILR): B1 in speaking and listening for applications made before 26 March 2027, and B2 on or after that date. This guide explains the current rules, the A1 proposal, what the Home Office's November 2026 earned settlement decisions mean for families, and how to prepare. It is based on GOV.UK sources we checked on 7 November 2026.
Do Skilled Worker dependants need an English test for the visa?
No. Appendix Skilled Worker, the part of the Immigration Rules for this visa, sets the rules for dependent partners and children in paragraphs SW 26 to SW 36. None of them includes an English requirement. The page was last updated on 29 October 2026.
Only the main applicant has to prove English for the visa. Since 8 January 2026, that is B2 for most new Skilled Worker applications, or B1 if the person's most recent Skilled Worker permission was granted at B1.
Your dependants can be:
- your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner
- your child under 18, including a child born in the UK during your stay
- your child over 18 who is already in the UK as your dependant
None of them needs an English test to apply or to extend.
There is one big limit on care workers. If the Skilled Worker is a care worker or senior care worker, a partner or child outside the UK can only join them if the worker has been continuously employed in care on a Skilled Worker visa since before 11 March 2024, or the child was born in the UK.
What is the proposed A1 English rule for dependants?
In May 2025, the government's Immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System, said it will "introduce a new English language requirement for all adult dependants of workers and students". The plan has three steps:
| Stage | Proposed level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| First visa | A1 | Basic English, the same level partners of British citizens need today |
| Any extension | A2 | Showing progress from A1 |
| Settlement | B2 | The same level as main applicants |
The settlement part has already happened. B2 for settlement starts on 26 March 2027. The A1 and A2 parts have not. As of 7 November 2026, no change to the Rules has added them, and the Home Office has not published a start date.
If it does come in, the family visa shows how it might work. Partners of British citizens already need A1 for their first visa, then A2 in speaking and listening when they extend after 2.5 years. A1 is a basic level, and A1 tests check speaking and listening only. Until the Rules change, your partner doesn't need one.
When do Skilled Worker dependants need English?
At settlement. The ILR rules for dependants are in SW 44 of Appendix Skilled Worker. Unless an exemption applies, the applicant must show English in speaking and listening at:
- at least B1 if they apply before 26 March 2027
- at least B2 if they apply on or after 26 March 2027
Partners and children aged 18 or over must also pass the Life in the UK test.
| Who | Visa and extensions | ILR before 26 March 2027 | ILR on or after 26 March 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | B2 (or B1 if their last permission was granted at B1) | No new English test | B2 in speaking and listening |
| Partner aged 18 or over | None | B1 + Life in the UK test | B2 + Life in the UK test |
| Child under 18 | None | Exempt | Exempt |
| Child aged 18 or over | None | B1 + Life in the UK test | B2 + Life in the UK test |
Who doesn't need an English test for ILR?
Under Appendix English Language, the main cases where your partner or child doesn't need a test are when, on the date they apply, they:
- are under 18, or 65 or over
- have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from meeting the requirement (they need medical evidence)
- are a national of one of the majority English-speaking countries on the list
- have a UK bachelor's, master's or PhD, or an overseas degree taught in English, with the right evidence
If they need a test, it must come from the approved list and be taken in the 2 years before the application.
Can a partner settle at the same time as the Skilled Worker?
Yes, if they meet the requirements. Your partner needs 5 continuous years in the UK as your dependent partner. They can apply at the same time as your own ILR application, or after you settle. A partner who joined you later will usually reach 5 years after you.
Which English test does a partner need for ILR?
It depends on when they apply.
Before 26 March 2027: B1 speaking and listening. A two-skill test such as IELTS Life Skills B1 is enough. It takes about 22 minutes and gives a pass or fail result.
On or after 26 March 2027: B2. When we checked in early November 2026, the GOV.UK approved test lists had no two-skill B2 test. Every approved B2 test covers all four skills:
| Test | Minimum for B2 |
|---|---|
| IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General Training) | 5.5 in each skill |
| PTE Academic UKVI | 59 in each skill |
| LanguageCert Academic SELT or General SELT | 60 in each skill |
| Trinity Integrated Skills in English II (ISE II) | Pass in each skill |
The Rules ask for B2 in speaking and listening. But the approved B2 tests set the minimum in all four skills, so plan for 5.5 or more in every skill if you choose IELTS for UKVI.
If your partner reaches 5 years before 26 March 2027, they can apply under the B1 rules. If not, they should prepare for a full four-skill test, which is much harder than Life Skills B1 because it adds Reading and Writing.
What changes for dependants under earned settlement?
On 2 November 2026, the Home Office published its final decisions on earned settlement, after a consultation that got 204,667 responses. The standard wait for settlement will move from 5 years to 10, with faster and slower paths. For dependants, the main points are:
- B2 stays the standard. B2 will be the English requirement for settlement, with the existing exemptions for children, people aged 65 and over, and people with a condition that prevents them from meeting it. A C1 level won't shorten the wait.
- Partners can settle together. A partner who arrives with the main applicant can settle at the same time, if they meet the requirements. A partner who joins later must complete the same qualifying period.
- Children under 18 are exempt from the English and Life in the UK requirements.
- Young adults aged 18 to 24 who still have child-dependant status can settle with their family. They must meet the adult requirements, including English, but not the income requirement.
- At 25 or over, a young person must qualify for settlement in their own right or move to another visa route.
The government decided against making every dependant earn settlement alone, one of the options in the consultation. But this is policy, not law yet. The Home Office says it will publish more guidance before the changes start, and the response doesn't give a start date. It also says nothing about an A1 test for dependants at entry.
How should a dependant partner prepare?
- Check your partner's settlement date. Count 5 years from when they arrived in the UK, or were granted permission here, as your dependant. That tells you whether B1 or B2 applies.
- Check the exemptions first. A degree taught in English or citizenship of a majority English-speaking country may mean no test is needed.
- For B2, take a full timed practice test. Your partner needs a band for each skill, because the lowest skill decides whether they reach 5.5.
- Practise Reading against the clock. IELTS Reading has 40 questions in 60 minutes. In General Training, 5.5 needs about 27 to 29 correct answers out of 40.
- Build Writing from the basics. IELTS Writing has a Task 1 of at least 150 words (a letter in General Training) and a Task 2 essay of at least 250 words, in 60 minutes. For 5.5, answer every part of the question and write in clear paragraphs.
- Practise Listening and Speaking too. IELTS Listening 5.5 is about 18 to 22 correct answers out of 40. IELTS Speaking is an 11 to 14 minute interview, marked on Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation.
- Leave time for a second try. Book the real test early enough to take it again before the application date if one skill falls short.
PrepAsk's IELTS practice tests cover all four modules, including General Training Reading and Writing. Reading and Listening tests are timed and show where each answer is in the passage or transcript. Writing and Speaking practice gives a band score for each criterion with feedback, so your partner can see which skill is furthest from 5.5.
The bottom line
Skilled Worker dependants don't need an English test to get the visa or to extend it. The A1 rule for adult dependants is a government plan from May 2025, not a rule, and it has no start date. The test comes at settlement: a partner or adult child needs B1 in speaking and listening for an ILR application made before 26 March 2027, and B2 on or after that date. The earned settlement decisions of November 2026 keep B2 as the standard.
If your partner will apply for ILR after 26 March 2027, start preparing now, especially for Reading and Writing. A free IELTS mock test shows which skill is furthest from 5.5, so they know where to focus.
