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What tougher English rules mean for construction employers
Ilaria Iovieno and Sean Pearce Fragomen
Image: Wall Hwang | Dreamstime
Changing English language requirements for international skilled workers could have an impact on construction’s ongoing skills gap. Ilaria Iovieno and Sean Pearce set out the potential implications for employers
From 8 January 2026, the required level of English language knowledge for skilled worker, scale-up worker and high potential individual visa applicants increased from B1 to B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
At CEFR Level B2, which is broadly equivalent to A-level, individuals should be able to communicate with a higher degree of fluency and precision compared with CEFR-level B1 learners, who would be able to operate at a lower intermediate level.
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The increase reflects the UK government’s commitment to supporting integration, community building and workplace participation through higher English language standards.
The English language requirement
Under current immigration rules, first-time applicants on these routes must demonstrate knowledge of the English language at CEFR-level B2.
Applicants can generally meet this requirement through a degree from a UK institution, a degree taught in English outside the UK, a GCSE or A-level in English, or a Home Office-approved English language test.
Migrants who previously met the CEFR Level B1 English language requirement do not need to meet a higher threshold and remain subject to the same level.
Nationals of majority English-speaking countries continue to be exempt from the requirement to demonstrate their knowledge of English.
Dependants fall outside the scope of this change, although the UK government may introduce a language requirement in future.
Impact on employers
The higher level of English language requirement for new applicants is likely to have significant implications for the construction sector.
The industry faces a reported shortage of key skills, ranging from housebuilding trades to welding and pipe-fitting. As a result, construction employers increasingly rely on international skilled workers to meet demand.
Migrant workers make up a substantial proportion of the construction workforce, and employers often sponsor them under the skilled worker route.
While overseas candidates may possess the highly technical skills required for construction roles, they may not meet the newly required level of English fluency, reflecting the nature of certain roles within the sector.
As a result, candidates could meet the skills criteria for their role but fail to secure a visa due to language requirements, which could exacerbate existing recruitment challenges in the sector.
Recruitment processes
As the language requirement has increased, employers will need to account for the enhanced English language requirement at the earliest stages of the recruitment process and consider how candidates can meet it. This may involve closely reviewing academic qualifications or supporting recruits with English language training.
Employers may also need to adjust budgets and onboarding processes to allow candidates to ressit English language tests and take additional preparation time if required.
In cases where candidates cannot qualify due to insufficient English language skills, employers may need to assess whether alternative visa routes are available that do not include an English language requirement.
The increased English language requirement presents a new and significant challenge for the construction sector.
Construction companies will need to adopt strategic workforce planning to continue addressing skills shortages while meeting regulatory requirements. This may involve more robust candidate vetting at the outset of recruitment alongside systems that support candidates in meeting the higher language threshold.
Ilaria Iovieno is an associate and Sean Pearce an immigration paralegal at Fragomen.
