The Home Office said it will be moving ahead with a “digital-by-default” approach to the test in HOELT tender documents released late last week. It follows a fifth call for information from the sector back in September as part of the process, which indicated the Home Office’s interest in a digital test.
“HOELT will move to a digital-by-default approach, while upholding the rigorous standards necessary to support our immigration decisions,” the Home Office said.
“The successful provider will deliver a service that combines technological innovation with security assurance, enabling customers to demonstrate their English language skills with confidence and convenience throughout their UK immigration journey.”
The test will look at speaking, listening, and, where applicable, reading and writing skills between CEFR levels A1 and C1. It should be able to be delivered securely anywhere a user wants to take the test, so long as secure test conditions can be met, according to the Home Office.
With the value of the contract set at £816 million including VAT, The PIE News understands that major English language testing providers are throwing their hat into the ring to win the tender.
The successful provider will deliver a service that combines technological innovation with security assurance, enabling customers to demonstrate their English language skills with confidence and convenience throughout their UK immigration journey
UK Home Office
The contract for those successful is expected to begin on December 1 2026 and end in November 2031 – although it may be extended up to November 2034.
The Home Office said it recognised there was “significant uncertainty” over the future demand of ELT services, and that the overall value of the contract should be considered in light of this.
Part of the uncertainty stemmed from ongoing changes to UK immigration policy outlined in the immigration white paper, it said, as well as geopolitical developments that made it difficult to guarantee future test volumes.
The government’s immigration white paper laid out changes to every visa route – including the dependants of international students and those looking to secure work or study visas – tightening English language requirements to make sure those coming into the UK have a good grasp of English.
Michael Lynas, Duolingo’s UK country director, said the company welcomed the “landmark decision” to make the test digital. “We’ve seen how digital models deliver greater accessibility, stronger security and higher accuracy – all at a fair cost. It’s encouraging to see governments and universities increasingly recognising these benefits,” he said.
The PIE has also contacted other major testing providers for comment.
