Onterra Tutor🇬🇧 UK Skilled Worker visa
The UK Skilled Worker route asks for English at CEFR level B1 across speaking, listening, reading and writing. On the IELTS scale that is band 4.0 in each of the four skills, taken as IELTS for UKVI (the Secure English Language Test version).
The requirement at a glance
| Test accepted | IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General Training) |
|---|---|
| Level required | CEFR B1 |
| Minimum per skill | 4.0 in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking |
| Overall band | 4.0 |
What people miss
- It must be IELTS for UKVI, booked at a UKVI-approved centre. A standard IELTS certificate, even with higher scores, does not count for this route.
- The requirement is per skill, not overall. A 6.0 overall with a 3.5 in Writing fails; four clean 4.0s pass.
- Your score stays valid for the visa application for 2 years from the test date.
- Some employers and regulated professions (health care especially) set their own, much higher bars than the visa minimum.
Are you already there?
Find out before you pay the exam fee. Check a real essay or record a speaking answer and get examiner-style bands in about a minute, free.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum IELTS score for a UK work visa?
For the Skilled Worker route, the minimum is band 4.0 in each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking (CEFR B1), taken as IELTS for UKVI. Health and Care Worker applicants meet the same B1 bar, though nursing registration sets its own higher scores.
What is the minimum IELTS score for the Skilled Worker visa?
Band 4.0 in each of the four skills, CEFR B1, on IELTS for UKVI. That is the Home Office floor; your job offer or professional regulator may set a higher bar on top of it.
Is 4.0 in each skill really enough for the Skilled Worker visa?
For the Home Office English requirement, yes: B1 equals 4.0 per skill on IELTS for UKVI. Your employer or professional regulator may require more, so check both.
What IELTS test do I need for a UK Skilled Worker visa?
IELTS for UKVI, the Secure English Language Test version, booked at a UKVI approved centre. A standard IELTS certificate is not accepted for this route, even with a higher score.
Academic or General Training for the UK Skilled Worker visa?
Either is accepted as long as it is the UKVI version. Most applicants take General Training because the reading and writing feel more everyday.
Figures reflect commonly published requirements, checked September 2026, and can change. Confirm against the official government or regulator source before you book.