April 2026
Your monthly briefing on test news, competitor developments and migration policy
Welcome to your April 2026 update. This month brings notable developments on the UK Home Office English Language Test (HOELT) tender, fresh research published by the IELTS partners on listening assessment, and a busy month of immigration changes across the UK and Canada. We have also tracked competitor activity, including a refreshed TOEFL website and a free trial of the new ISE Digital Test from Trinity College London.
IELTS Developments
New IELTS Research Published on Lecture Listening
The IELTS partners have released a new peer-reviewed research article exploring how candidates process academic lectures that combine spoken delivery with on-screen text — exactly the kind of teaching material university students encounter every day. The paper looks at the gap between traditional audio-only listening assessment and the multimodal reality of university lectures, where speech and slides typically work together.
The authors note that listening sections in most major university-entrance tests, including IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and Cambridge Advanced English, currently rely on audio as the primary input. They argue that lecture-listening assessments should present audio and slide text simultaneously, mirroring genuine academic settings, and should cover varying degrees of integration between what is spoken and what is shown on screen.
This is part of a longer-running research programme by the IELTS partners aimed at keeping the test aligned with how English is actually used in higher education. While no immediate test-format change has been announced, the publication signals continued investment in evidence-based development of the IELTS Listening component.
HOELT Update: Home Office Acknowledges Remote-Testing Risks
Following last month’s coverage of the IELTS partners’ withdrawal from the Home Office English Language Test (HOELT) tender, the procurement story moved further into the political spotlight in late April. Responding to a parliamentary question, Migration and Citizenship Minister Mike Tapp acknowledged that the department’s plan to move to a fully remote English testing model carries genuine challenges, including the use of artificial intelligence tools and wearable devices by candidates seeking to cheat.
The minister stated that any successful HOELT supplier will be required to demonstrate best-in-class anti-cheating capability, with technical and procedural safeguards forming a key part of how the bids are scored. He confirmed that the Home Office considered the approaches taken by Australia and Canada when designing its model — and notably acknowledged that Australia banned the use of remote English-language testing for visa applicants in August last year. United States-headquartered language-learning company Duolingo is reported to be among the bidders for the contract, which is now valued at up to £816 million.
The IELTS partners’ position, set out in March when the consortium withdrew from the tender, was that fully remote testing for high-stakes immigration purposes does not yet meet the security standards expected of the most consequential English assessments. The Home Office’s April acknowledgement that genuine technological risks exist — and that bidders must address them — appears, in tone if not in policy, to move closer to the IELTS partners’ analysis. A provider is still expected to be selected later in 2026, with the new system intended to come into effect from late 2027.
What this means for UK applicants right now
There is no change for current UK visa or immigration applications. IELTS for UKVI continues to be a Secure English Language Test (SELT) accepted across the UK Home Office’s full range of routes, including Skilled Worker, family/spouse and settlement applications. IELTS Life Skills remains the recognised test for UK family and partner visa English requirements at A1, A2 and B1 levels.
English Language Testing Landscape
New TOEFL Refreshes Public Profile
ETS has rolled out a redesigned public website for the new TOEFL iBT, prominently featuring its updated tagline — ‘The World’s English Test’ — and introducing a virtual brand spokesperson named ‘Tina’. The refresh is paired with new promotional video content. The redesign accompanies the launch of the substantially restructured TOEFL test that ETS rolled out earlier this year, including new task types and a revised scoring approach.
Industry analysts have given the new TOEFL a mixed but largely fair-minded reception, with some legitimate concerns raised about whether scoring on the new format can be cleanly compared with older TOEFL results during the transition period. Institutions still relying on legacy concordance tables to interpret TOEFL scores have been advised to review their guidance carefully. The IELTS partners published their own peer-reviewed analysis last month examining the construct validity of the new TOEFL relative to both the previous TOEFL and IELTS — a useful technical reference for admissions teams comparing scores from different test versions.
Despite the marketing push, IELTS continues to be the most widely recognised high-stakes English test in higher education and immigration globally. The IELTS partners maintain a consistent, stable scoring framework on the established 0–9 band scale, accepted by more than 12,000 institutions and government bodies worldwide.
Trinity College London Promotes ISE Digital Test
Trinity College London is running a promotional campaign for its new Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Digital Test, offering free trials to candidates who also take an IELTS Academic test, with Trinity refunding the IELTS fee on completion. The promotion appears to be paired with a planned concordance study to map ISE Digital scores against IELTS bands.
The campaign reflects the broader competitive picture in the English testing market: IELTS remains the established benchmark, and newer entrants including ISE Digital are seeking to position themselves alongside it through direct comparisons. The fact that ISE Digital is using IELTS as the reference point for its concordance work itself underlines the central role IELTS continues to play as the global standard.
Duolingo English Test: Continued Expansion, Mixed UK Picture
The Duolingo English Test (DET) continues to grow its acceptance footprint at universities, with the test marketing widespread recognition by US, Canadian and UK institutions. However, the UK position is more nuanced than headline figures suggest: while many UK universities accept DET for admissions, the test is not currently authorised as a Secure English Language Test (SELT) for UK Home Office visa purposes. Several leading UK institutions, including Oxford, Cambridge and Lancaster, do not currently accept DET.
For UK study-visa applicants whose chosen institution accepts DET and confirms English proficiency under their own admission processes, the visa side may not require a separate test. But for any UK route requiring a SELT — including Skilled Worker, family visas, settlement and Life Skills routes — IELTS for UKVI remains an approved choice, while DET is not. This distinction continues to matter for the substantial population of candidates whose pathway involves both study and longer-term residence in the UK.
International Migration News for IELTS Candidates
United Kingdom
April was an active month for UK immigration changes, with several measures taking effect during the month. From 7 April 2026, the role of prison officer was added to the Skilled Worker visa route at RQF Level 3, with a minimum salary requirement of £31,600. From 8 April 2026, sponsors of Skilled Workers are required to ensure that the worker is paid the full required salary in every pay period — a tightening of the salary-monitoring rules for sponsoring employers.
The visa brake announced in March is now in effect: from 26 March 2026 onwards, Skilled Worker visa applications from Afghan nationals and Student visa applications from nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan made from outside the UK are being refused, including in cases where a Certificate of Sponsorship or Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies had already been issued. In-country applications from those nationals are not affected. The measure is to be kept under review.
Looking ahead, the higher B2 English language standard for indefinite leave to remain on most work routes is confirmed for 26 March 2027. Skilled Worker, Scale-up and High Potential Individual visa applicants have already needed B2 English at application stage since 8 January 2026. Combined with the planned move from 5 to 10 years as the baseline qualifying period for settlement, English language preparation has become a more important and longer-term part of the UK migration journey.
For IELTS candidates planning UK applications: If you are aiming for UK settlement on a work route, plan your English preparation early. Achieving B2 (CEFR) — equivalent to a competent user — well before your settlement window matters more than ever. IELTS for UKVI tests the four skills against the band scale used by UK Visas and Immigration, while IELTS Life Skills covers the speaking-and-listening A1, A2 and B1 levels needed for partner, family and citizenship routes.
Canada
Canada saw a substantial month of immigration developments. The Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act (Bill C-12) received Royal Assent on 26 March 2026, giving the federal government new powers to amend or cancel immigration documents in defined circumstances and introducing changes to asylum eligibility. Implementation began almost immediately, with the first procedural fairness letters going out within days.
Several measures took effect at the start of April. From 1 April 2026, post-secondary international students no longer need a separate co-op work permit to take part in required co-ops, internships and placements; a valid study permit with on-campus work conditions is now sufficient where the placement is required by the programme and is no more than 50 per cent of programme content. A package of further reforms to study and work authorisations is in consultation, including expanded work rights for Post-Graduation Work Permit applicants and foreign apprentices.
Fees moved upward across the month. Citizenship fees increased on 31 March 2026, and permanent residence fees rise on 30 April 2026. Canadian passport fees also increased on 31 March, the first such rise in 13 years. On 24 April 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada launched a public consultation on proposed reforms to the Express Entry system, which could reshape how skilled-immigration candidates are ranked. Express Entry rounds continued through the month, including invitations issued to Canadian Experience Class candidates on 27 and 28 April.
On the volume side, the 2026 study permit cap remains set at 408,000 issuances, including 155,000 to newly arriving international students. Master’s and doctoral students at public designated learning institutions are exempt from the provincial attestation letter requirement, recognising their stronger labour-market alignment.
Australia
Australia’s 2026 student visa planning remains at 295,000 places under Ministerial Direction 115. While there were no major federal immigration rule changes specifically dated in April, state-level activity continued: Victoria closed new Registration of Interest submissions for its 2025–26 Skilled Visa Program at 4:00 PM AEST on 28 April 2026, with all places under Subclasses 190 and 491 having received significantly more applications than allocations available.
Looking forward, the indexed Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) for employer-sponsored visas takes effect from 1 July 2026, and the long-running review of the General Skilled Migration points test is expected to produce reforms during the year, with English language proficiency continuing to be a core selection factor.
New Zealand and Ireland
New Zealand’s settings continue to emphasise flexible post-study and skilled migration pathways, with English language requirements remaining a core element across most visa routes. Ireland continues to recognise IELTS for both university admissions and study-visa purposes, alongside an expanding list of accepted tests. For candidates weighing options between the major destinations, the breadth of IELTS recognition remains its most practical advantage: the same test result is accepted across the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and many other markets.
The information in this update is for general guidance only. Immigration rules change frequently — always verify visa and English language requirements with the relevant official government source before making decisions.
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