OET for ILR English Requirement via Health and Care Route

[dips4717]

Should an additional English test be taken if we have already approved an English test, i.e. OET (Occupation English Test), in the previous Health and Care visa?

My wife is on a health and care visa working as a nurse. She had done OET exam for Nursing Council (NMC) registration. And after getting the job in the NHS, she used this to prove her English requirement; this was approved.

Now she is due for her ILR next year. One of the confusions was about the English requirement. The ILR guide page says we do not need to prove the English requirement as we have already done that in the previous successful application. But someone said, because OET is not listed in the approved list of ILR English test, we need to take an additional English test (SELT).

Do we follow what's in the main guide and not worry about a new English test?
Anyone who had taken OET for NMC or GMC, and just used that for a successful visa and ILR application?

Please kindly suggest.

[zimba]

Occupation English Test (OET) is NOT an approved English test to prove your language level under the immigration rules. Unlike main applicants under skilled worker route, the dependant spouse must prove their level of English for ILR. She very likely did not prove her English language level before, as an initial/extension dependant visa does not have an English language requirement.

You can find the list of approved secure English tests here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prove-your- ... -test-selt

The SELT B1 is a quick and short exam which I suggest: https://www.trinitycollege.com/qualific ... SE-grade-5

[dips4717]

Thanks, zimba, for your response.

She is the main applicant. She came to the UK as a dependent in 2019, but converted to her own route via health and care visa in 2021. So this resetted the ILR year count, and hence she is due for ILR in 2026.
However, she is the main applicant for her current route to the ILR, I believe.

I think she just used the OET to demonstrate the English requirement for her first health and care visa in 2021. She has also changed the employer, but we did not submit any English test for that as it was done in the previous application.

So given she is the main applicant and has had first application approved with OET, do you think she needs an additional English test?

I understand OET is valid for Health and Care VISA as it is recognised by the NMC, but my confusion is whether it okay for ILR as well?

[zimba]

Again, the Occupation English Test has no value under the immigration system. If she has her own skilled worker visa, there is no English language requirement for ILR

[dips4717]

Yes, she has her own visa. So she can apply her ILR without English requirement?
It does not matter whether OET was used for her English requirement for her first visa following this
https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-v ... nal%20body.

[zimba]

Yes, she has her own visa. So she can apply her ILR without English requirement?
It does not matter whether OET was used for her English requirement for her first visa following this
https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-v ... nal%20body.

This visa route has recently been introduced under the rules. This is NOT the same as the skilled worker route. Under the skilled worker route, the main applicant does not have an English language requirement to satisfy. I repeated this several times now

[dips4717]

Appreciate your answers. Thank you, zimba!