Posted 2013-01-29 14:30:44

As your wife will be applying for ILR after October 2013 an ESOL with citizenship course is not sufficient.

She will need to pass the LitUK test and obtain level B1, or better, of the CEFR in English speaking and listening.

ILR will lapse if the holder spends a continuous period of two years or more outside the UK.



See British Citizenship Basics.

I am curious as to what happens to all these people who will be taking their ESOL Inter 3 exams this year and have already passed LiUK as my wife is and has.

If the 2 year qualification period for ILR is not until November, does that mean this Certificate is useless and if so, what do they do?

There must be many in this situation so if anyone has any ideas I would like to hear them.

Thanks

Do I assume that nobody knows what or how this will work in October?

More accurate to assume that, like me, people have a life and do not sit glued to the computer 24/7 ready to answer the moment a question appears. It is a holiday weekend in the UK.

The requirements are as you quote. If the exam taken does not meet B1 of the CEFR in speaking and listening, or better, and/or is not from an approved provider then it will not be acceptable.

Just out of interest doesn't Esol skills for life entry 3 equal the B1 ?

Depends who the test provider is; see link in my post above; which as well as listing the approved providers also shows which qualifications equal B1.

But remember, even if it is from an approved provider and is an acceptable equivalent of B1, it must be in speaking and listening; it is the LitUK test which tests reading and writing.