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UK NARIC Annual Conference 2008

UK NARIC Annual Conference 2008. English Language Requirements and Immigration The role of IELTS Carly Moulding, IELTS Stakeholder Relations Manager, British Council. The importance of language skills. English language proficiency – a necessary standard Required by: Employers

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UK NARIC Annual Conference 2008

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  1. UK NARIC Annual Conference 2008 English Language Requirements and Immigration The role of IELTS Carly Moulding, IELTS Stakeholder Relations Manager, British Council

  2. The importance of language skills • English language proficiency – a necessary standard • Required by: • Employers • Professional registration bodies • Education institutions • Incorporated into the Points Based System (PBS)

  3. What is IELTS? • International English Language Testing System • Jointly managed by the British Council, IDP:IELTS Australia and University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations • Designed to assess English language ability of people who intend to study or work where English is the language of communication

  4. What is IELTS continued • Original four-skills English language test • Test of communicative proficiency in English • Over 1 million people rely on IELTS every year to access opportunities in study, careers and migration in the English-speaking world and beyond • 6000+ recognising organisations worldwide

  5. Test Administration • Tests administered at centres worldwide • More than 500 test centres in 121 countries • Full list available on www.ielts.org • Up to 48 fixed test dates per year • Every effort made to cater for candidate special requirements • Results available 13 days after test • No restrictions on re-taking test

  6. General or Academic IELTS? • Listening and speaking same for both, reading and writing differ • General • For immigration, vocational, secondary education, language training and work experience • Reading and writing questions assess survival skills in a broad social and educational context • Academic • For entry to University / College / professional registration • Reading and writing questions assess ability to study or train in medium of English at undergraduate or postgraduate level

  7. Listening 30 minutes, 4 sections, 40 items Academic Reading 60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items General Training Reading 60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items Academic Writing 60 minutes, 2 tasks General Training Writing 60 minutes, 2 tasks Speaking 11 - 14 minutes, 3 parts Test format

  8. Question Paper Development and Research • Backed by extensive programme of research, validation and test development • Test papers constructed over 6 stages • Writing and editing takes place in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK • Topics or language context which may introduce a bias against any group are avoided

  9. Examining • Examiners are supported by the IELTS Professional Support Network - a system of recruitment, training, certification, standardisation and continuous monitoring to support examiners and ensure a high standard of expertise is maintained.

  10. PBS language requirementsTier 1- Highly skilled worker category • General, entrepreneur, investor, post study worker • Applicant making initial application (general or entrepreneur) for entry clearance or leave to remain as a Tier 1 Migrant, must have 10 points for English language. • English language requirements may differ if you are: • extending existing Tier 1 application • extending existing permission to stay given under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP)

  11. How to achieve 10 points 3 ways to meet requirement: • be a national of a majority English speaking country on the UKBA list • hold a degree that was taught in English as confirmed by the UK NARIC database as equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree • Pass a UKBA approved English language test: IELTS score 6.5 (Academic or General)

  12. PBS language requirementsTier 2 – skilled worker, sportsperson & Minister of Religion categories • Eligibility – job offer or sponsorship, certificate of sponsorship from UKBA licensed sponsor, points • Includes mandatory 10 points for English language • More basic level of English than Tier 1 • Ability to understand and use familiar everyday expressions, basic phrases, be able to introduce self and others, and answer basic personal questions • IELTS score 4.5 currently

  13. How to achieve 10 points • Same 3 ways as with Tier 1 • IELTS accepted as approved English language test for Tier 2

  14. Tier 2 – intra company transfers • Only need to demonstrate required English language skills if planning to stay in the UK beyond three years. • If so, same requirements as other Tier 2 categories

  15. PBS language requirementsTier 4 – student category • Educational institution acts as sponsor of student and issues confirmation of acceptance for studies • Issued if institution believes student can complete the course • No English language requirement by UKBA – should be considered by institution before issuing certificate of acceptance • Currently education institutions require proof of English language proficiency before accepting international students anyway

  16. How are IELTS results reported? 9 band scores: 9 – expert user 8 – very good user 7 – good user 6 – competent user 5 – modest user 4 – limited user 3 – extremely limited user 2 – intermittent user 1 – non user

  17. Interpretation of results • Candidates can apply for re-marking (Enquiry On Results) • Candidates are issued one copy of the Test Report Form (TRF) • Candidates can request test centres to send their TRF to recognising organisations on their behalf • TRFs are valid for 2 years as they cannot be verified after that time

  18. Security • Unique test for each test session administration • Test material production controls • Stock control and documentation • ID and candidate checks • Trained administrators, invigilators and examiners • Rigorous results procedures

  19. TRF online verification service • The free, online IELTS Test Report Form verification service allows you to authenticate IELTS Test Report Forms in a quick, easy and reliable way. • Recognising organisations with access to the service can not carry out general searches of the data we hold; they can only search on a specific TRF number.

  20. TRF Administrators and Users • Each registered organisation has a nominated TRF Administrator • Administrators have rights to be able to add their colleagues as Users of the service • All other rights are the same

  21. Using TRF verification service • Log in and click on TRF Query • Enter applicant’s TRF number • Match or no match? • No match – send all TRF details to IELTS TRF VERIFICATION for investigation (ieltstrfforward@CambridgeEsol.org) • Older than 2 years can not be verified

  22. Questions Thank you! ieltscommunications@britishcouncil.org

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