English lessons shouldn’t be an immigration test – why the UK’s new policy risks deepening exclusion

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What happens when learning English stops being a bridge into society and starts to feel like a test of belonging you can fail?

That is the question raised by the the UK government’s proposed new immigration policy, which would raise English-language requirements for most visa routes, with the aim of improving integration and workforce readiness.

This represents an increase in emphasis on language proficiency. Applicants would have to demonstrate higher proficiency in speaking...