UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has refreshed its guidance on Secure English Language Tests (SELTs), publishing on 5 October a new list of approved exam centres worldwide. The update—one of more than a dozen this year—adds five testing locations in India, Nigeria and the United States while removing two centres in Russia that failed recent compliance audits. Passing a SELT is mandatory for many visa categories, including Skilled Worker, Innovator, Start-up, Health & Care and settlement routes. The guidance also reminds applicants that, from January 2027, only digital score reports will be accepted, aligning with the Home Office’s broader shift toward eVisas. For employers, the change reduces scheduling bottlenecks for sponsored workers and dependants in high-demand markets such as Bengaluru and Lagos. Mobility managers should update onboarding checklists and ensure recruitment partners are booking exams only with centres appearing on the new list; using an unapproved provider can invalidate a visa application and trigger costly re-submissions. Education providers will welcome the additional US capacity, which is expected to shorten wait times for postgraduate applicants aiming for the January 2027 intake. However, corporate sponsors must still verify that the exam taken matches the specific Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level required for the visa route. The Home Office advises applicants to retain digital confirmation of results, as BRP cards will cease to be issued after December 2026 and applicants will need to link test scores to their online immigration accounts.
Source: UK Government (GOV.UK)
