Some migrants wey dey come UK must sabi speak English to A-level standard, dis dey come under one tougher new rules wey govment wan introduce.

Di changes, wey go come into force from 8 January 2026, go affect some graduates and dos wey dey apply for skilled worker or scale-up visas, wey dey for pipo wey fast-growing business dey employ.

Di new rules na part of wider plans to cut levels of immigration to di UK wey govment outline for one white paper for May.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood tok say: "If you come dis kontri, you gatz learn our language and play your part."

"Dis kontri don always welcome dos wey come to dis kontri and contribute," Mahmood tok.

"But e dey unacceptable for migrants to come hia without learning our language, unable to contribute to our national life."

A-level standard English

Under one new law wey di Parliament introduce on 14 October, migrants go dey required to pass one tough new English language requirements.

Immigrants wey dey apply through certain legal routes must meet one A level equivalent standard in speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Applicants go dey tested in pesin on dia speaking, listening, reading and writing for Home Office-approved providers, and dem go check dia results as part of di visa process.

According to di British Council, wey dey offer di English language courses, learners wey achieve B2 level fit "understand di main ideas of complex texts on concrete or abstract topics."

Dem fit express themselves "fluently and spontaneously" and communicate comfortably wit oda English speakers. Dem fit also produce "clear, detailed text on many subjects and explain a complex viewpoint".

Di Home office tell Parliament on Tuesday say dem go later introduce further English language requirements for oda visa routes and family dependants.

Dos wey dey apply for skilled worker, scale-up and high potential individual (HPI) visas go need to reach B2 level - one step up from di current B1 standard wey dey equivalent to GCSE.

Time reduction

Di oda changes Parliament make on Tuesday na reduction of time wey international students dey take find graduate job afta dem complete dia studies for di kontri.

Di govment don reduce di time from di current two years to 18 months.

"To ensure graduates contribute effectively to di economy, di maximum post-study stay go dey reduced to 18 months from di current 2 years for most from 1 January 2027. Dis dey come afta data clearly show say many holders neva move into graduate-level employment as planned", one statement for di Home Office website tok.

Immigration Skills Charge

Di Home Office also increase di immigration skills charge (ISC), wey employers wey dey sponsor skilled foreign workers dey pay by 32%.

To enta UK on di skilled worker visa, migrants gatz don work for one govment-approved employer and suppose don earn at least £41,700 a year, or di "going rate" for dia type of work, anyone wey be di highest.

Dis na di first time di ISC go increase since 2017 and dem go use am boost investment in British workers and reduce reliance on overseas recruitment. Di Parliamentary process to increase di charge go begin later dis week.

Di scale-up visa dey open to migrants wey dey come work for a fast-growing UK business.

Migrants fit apply for a high potential individual visa if dem get qualification from a top global university within di last five years.

Increase in finance requirement

Di Home Office also say dem go increase di finance requirements for student visas for di 2025 to 2026 academic year.

Dis one mean say foreign students go need show say dem get enof money to support themselves.

But di new amount neva dey clear.

Oda changes to attract highly skilled talent

Di parliament bin also outline series of changes to position UK as a global leader in attracting highly skilled talent for di immigration white paper.

Di changes include:

Expansion of di High Potential Individual (HPI) route to graduates from di top 100 international universities, wit a cap of 8,000 applications per year. Dem dey expect to double di number of pipo wey dey enta UK through di HPI route from 2,000 to 4,000, to give graduates from di world best universities chance to base dia careers for UK.

Di world most talented entrepreneurs wey dey study for UK go also fit easily establish innovative business ventures for di kontri afta dem complete dia studies, while transitioning from a student visa to di Innovator Founder route.

Enhancements to di Global Talent route, wey include an expanded list of prestigious prizes and changes to expand some of di evidential requirements of achievement and contribution for architects.

Di govment dey aim to double di number of highly skilled pipo wey dey come UK on high skilled routes, wey include di best researchers, designers, and creatives wey dey work for film and TV to ensure continued competitiveness in growth sectors.

Di prime minister previously tok say di changes dem outline for di white paper go make UK immigration system "controlled, selective and fair".

Home Office estimate suggest say di measures fit reduce di number of pipo wey dey enta UK by up to 100,000 per year.

Net migration to di UK - total permanent arrivals minus total permanent departures - bin fall to 431,000 in 2024, down almost 50% on di total in 2023, wen e reach a record high of 906,000.