Britain’s Home Office unveiled tougher English language requirements for migrants starting January 2026, aiming to foster full societal integration while hiking costs for employers reliant on foreign talent, as part of a sweeping crackdown on immigration amid rising domestic pressures.
The policy mandates that newcomers, including Nigerians and others from non-English-speaking nations, pass rigorous tests to secure long-term residency, ensuring they “contribute fully to our national life,” officials said.
“From January 2026, migrants will be required to pass tough new English language requirements so they can contribute fully to our national life,” the Home Office stated.
It added: “If you come to the UK, you must learn our language and play your part.”
The measures extend to employers, with increased levies designed to prioritise British hires and curb dependence on overseas labour. “We are raising employer costs for foreign hires, ensuring they invest in British workers first. For too long, businesses have relied on cheap overseas labour. We’re putting a stop to that,” the government declared.
This follows March 2025 visa fee surges, including student visas rising from £490 to £542, short-term visits from £115 to £127, and long-term options climbing to £1,059 for a decade-long permit.
The reforms reflect intensifying anti-immigration rhetoric in the UK, targeting inflows from developing countries to bolster local employment and cultural assimilation in Europe’s third-largest economy.
