Permanent residency English exemption: UK degree is available, should I spend £252 on this ENIC?

"I studied for my master's in the UK, do I need to take the B1 test to apply for permanent residency? Should I get a ENIC certification first?"

No need to take an exam or get certified. A bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree issued by a UK institution is inherently recognized as proof of English language proficiency under Appendix English Language EL 5.2(a). Uploading a copy of your degree certificate suffices for this requirement. The ones who need to pay £252 and wait for 20 working days are those whose degrees are issued by institutions outside the UK. Below is a walkthrough of the actual processing order, with each step indicating where problems may occur.

The first step is to check who awarded the degree, not where the courses were taken.

EL 5.2 Dividing the degree into three branches, this is the boundary that determines whether to spend money later:

This category in Canada is worth a separate look. In EL 4.1, the list of countries where English is the main language includes Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Malta; however, in EL 5.2(b), Canada is specifically excluded in parentheses, which is easy to understand, as French-language instruction in Quebec accounts for a considerable proportion. The result is: Canadian citizens can directly meet the English requirement through nationality, whereas an applicant holding a Chinese passport who completed their undergraduate studies in Toronto does not have their degree listed in EL 5.2(b), and thus must go through EL 5.2(c), where Ecctis will assess on a case-by-case basis whether the program was taught in English. Ireland takes the opposite approach; it is not on the EL 4.1 list, but is specifically included in EL 5.2(b).

The proof materials of the degree itself, EL 5.3 provides three options: the certificate from the issuing institution, the official transcript from the institution, or an official letter from the institution (which must state the name, type and level of the degree, the issuing institution, and the date of award). Home Office "Assessing the English Language requirement" version dated May 1, 2025 clearly does not accept provisional certificates. Those who have just graduated and have not yet received their official certificate should request an official letter from the institution containing all the above information, rather than submitting a temporary certificate first and then supplementing the documents later.

Where was this order placed, and how long will it take?

On May 1, 2025, Ecctis (the operator of ENIC) discontinued the original Visas and Nationality Service and replaced it with Qualification and Language Service, abbreviated as QLS. For those who need to confirm both the degree level and English proficiency, the product to order is called English Proficiency and Qualification Comparison.

The price and time have changed. This is something only those who have recently handled it would notice: the old service level was £147.50, 10 working days, with an additional 48-hour rush option available; QLS is unified at £210＋VAT (total £252), maximum 20 working days, and the rush channel has been canceled. Ecctis will contact the issuing institution directly to verify the authenticity of the degree. If the institution responds slowly, the entire application will be stuck. If Ecctis requests additional documents, the 20 working days will restart from the day the documents are submitted.

Don't confuse the products: the one without English assessment is only for the current applicable scope of work permit PhD-related options and the High Potential Individual route; while the Statement of Comparability for job-seeking and further education does not assess English at all, as clearly stated in the guidance, caseworkers are not allowed to use it as evidence of English proficiency.

Here is my own judgment: If the only purpose of this overseas degree is to meet the B1 requirement for permanent residency, in most cases I would not recommend buying QLS. Taking one recognized listening and speaking test in the UK (such as IELTS Life Skills B1), the cost within the UK is roughly between £150–£170, and the results are usually released within days; waiting for £252 plus four weeks to get the same result. On the other hand, if this degree has a second use - family members also need it, it is needed to prove the degree level during the work visa stage, and it is also planned to use it to meet the English requirement for naturalization - then this order is worth doing.

Not sure which team you are on, it's safer to spend £5 at justiscript.com to get a written response from a UK practicing lawyer on this issue, rather than paying £252 upfront for a report that may not be needed.

Which option should be selected in the permanent residency application form?

Make a verification step before filling out the form online to English: take out the previous successful application, and check what was used to meet the English requirements and to which level.

Appendix English Language provisions allow for the continuation of previously proven requirements that have already been demonstrated and meet the level required this time; there is no need to resubmit evidence this time. The key lies in the four characters "level meets". The guidance gives an example of the international athlete route: those who passed under A1 before, and now require B1 for settlement, this item needs to be re-proven. According to the same logic, after March 26, 2027, the English language level for settlement was raised to B2. Those who only took the B1 speaking and listening test that year need to re-examine whether their current documents are sufficient; the academic qualification branch does not set different standards according to CEFR in EL 5, and the current requirement of B2 route also accepts academic qualifications taught in English.

Then there are three specific matters. In the "English" column, select "Degree," and upload your degree certificate or official letter from the institution; if it is issued overseas, you must also upload the QLS confirmation letter, both are required. Life in the UK Test is calculated separately, it falls under Appendix KOL UK, and a degree does not exempt you from this exam. In terms of timing, if you are certain about applying for QLS, it is recommended to place the order six to eight weeks before the planned submission date - 20 working days is close to four weeks, and you should also leave some buffer for slow responses from the institution and resuming the countdown for additional documents.

Add a sentence that was not mentioned before: This QLS confirmation letter itself has no expiration date. GOV.UK putting the English proof on the same page for "naturalization and settlement" two matters, the degree path is also an accepted method during the naturalization stage. Therefore, for those who really only have overseas degrees, the above-mentioned £252 may not be a one-time expense - compared to the permanent residency and naturalization stages, the difference with taking a SELT once is smaller than it seems. First, clarify which of the three groups you belong to, then decide where to spend the money. The order of this step is more important than the amount.

[Data Source] Immigration Rules Appendix English Language (EL 4.1, EL 5.2, EL 5.3, EL 5.4) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-english-language; Home Office "Assessing the English Language requirement" 1 May 2025 edition https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-language-requirements-for-immigration-applicants/assessing-the-english-language-requirement-accessible; Ecctis QLS Fee and Timetable Information https://qls.ecctis.com/english-qualification-comparison/price-and-timeframe

This document is for reference only; the fees and timeliness shall be subject to the latest announcements from GOV.UK and Ecctis; please consult a licensed lawyer for specific issues.

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