Welcome to the November 2025 edition of our monthly IELTS news update. This month brings significant developments across the English language testing landscape, major immigration policy changes in key destination countries, and continued evolution in the competitive testing market. Whether you’re preparing for IELTS to study abroad, migrate, or advance your career, these updates are essential reading.
IELTS Developments
British Council IELTS Prize 2025 Winners Announced
The British Council announced the winners of its IELTS Prize 2025 on 21 November 2025, celebrating inspiring stories from test takers across the Philippines, Indonesia, and Myanmar. Five grand prize winners from each country received cash prizes of GBP 1,000 (approximately PHP 75,000), while five finalists in each country received gift vouchers worth GBP 100. The competition recognised candidates who took IELTS with the British Council between April 2024 and September 2025 and achieved a minimum overall band score of 4.0 with no section below 4.0. This annual celebration highlights the life-changing journeys of IELTS test takers, from university admissions to skilled visa achievements.
Australia Reaffirms IELTS for Migration Purposes
Following the July 2025 announcement of a three-year Deed of Agreement between the IELTS Partners and Australia’s Department of Home Affairs, IELTS continues to be the trusted choice for Australian visa and migration purposes. The agreement, which came into effect on 7 August 2025 following a comprehensive government review, confirms IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training as approved tests under the new legislative framework. Importantly, the agreement also maintains acceptance of IELTS One Skill Retake for most visa subclasses, giving test takers greater flexibility. IELTS remains the only major English test that offers the One Skill Retake option, allowing candidates to resit just one component rather than repeating the entire test.
Continued Global Recognition
With approximately 60,000 people choosing IELTS every week and recognition from more than 12,500 organisations worldwide, IELTS maintains its position as the world’s most widely accepted English language test for study, work, and migration. The test continues to be accepted by all major English-speaking destination countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.
English Language Testing Landscape
PTE Academic Introduces Major Format Changes
Since 7 August 2025, Pearson has implemented significant changes to the PTE Academic test format, introducing two new question types in the Speaking section. The new tasks, Respond to a Situation and Summarize Group Discussion, have extended the total test duration to approximately two hours and fifteen minutes, an increase from the previous format. These additions bring the total number of questions to 22, up from 20. While Pearson states these changes aim to evaluate real-world English communication skills, test takers who have already prepared using previous formats may need to adjust their strategies. IELTS, by contrast, maintains its consistent and familiar format, allowing candidates to prepare with confidence using established study materials and proven techniques.
Duolingo English Test Updates for July 2025
The Duolingo English Test implemented its own significant changes from 1 July 2025, introducing a new Interactive Speaking section featuring conversations with AI characters and an updated Interactive Listening section. The test removed the Read Aloud and Listen Then Speak question types to accommodate these additions while maintaining the one-hour test duration. While Duolingo continues to expand its acceptance among institutions, IELTS maintains broader recognition across immigration authorities worldwide. IELTS remains the only test accepted by all immigration authorities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK, making it the safer choice for candidates planning migration pathways.
TOEFL Announces Enhanced Test for January 2026
ETS announced in November 2025 a partnership with Study.com to launch an official preparation program ahead of the enhanced TOEFL iBT test, set to debut on 21 January 2026. The upcoming changes include multistage adaptive testing for Reading and Listening sections, new task types including sentence building and email writing, and the introduction of a simplified 1-6 band scale alongside the traditional 0-120 scoring. While these developments show TOEFL’s evolution, they also mean test takers will face a new format requiring updated preparation approaches. IELTS offers stability with its established format and transparent human-examiner scoring system, particularly valued by universities for the Speaking component’s authentic assessment of communication skills.
Australia Approves Nine English Tests
Following the August 2025 review, Australia’s Department of Home Affairs now recognises nine English language tests from eight providers for visa purposes. IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are both included, along with PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced (paper-based), OET, TOEFL iBT, and newly approved tests including LanguageCert Academic, CELPIP General, and the Michigan English Test (MET). Despite this expanded list, IELTS maintains its market-leading position, with approximately 70% of Australian visa applicants preferring IELTS over alternatives, according to industry reports. This preference reflects IELTS’s established reputation, wider global recognition, and the flexibility offered through One Skill Retake.
International Migration News for IELTS Candidates
United Kingdom
Higher English Language Requirements from January 2026
The UK has announced that from 8 January 2026, applicants for Skilled Worker, Scale-up, and High Potential Individual (HPI) visas will need to demonstrate B2-level English proficiency, an increase from the current B1 requirement. This is equivalent to an IELTS score of at least 5.5 in all four components, approximately upper-intermediate or A-Level standard. For IELTS candidates, this means achieving consistent scores across Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking will become even more important. The change forms part of the UK government’s broader immigration reforms announced in its May 2025 White Paper.
High Potential Individual Visa Expansion
From 4 November 2025, the HPI visa route has been expanded to include graduates from the top 100 global universities, up from the previous list of approximately 42 institutions. However, the route is now subject to an annual cap of 8,000 applications per year. This change aims to attract elite international graduates while maintaining control over migration numbers. The number of HPI arrivals is expected to double from 2,000 to 4,000 annually.
Immigration Rules Changes Effective November 2025
Several UK immigration rule changes took effect on 11 November 2025 under Statement of Changes HC 1333. These include updates to sponsor priority service costs, increased student maintenance thresholds (now £1,529 per month in London and £1,171 outside London), and enhancements to the Global Talent route with expanded prestigious prize lists. The proposed increase to the settlement qualifying period from five to ten years remains under consultation, with changes potentially beginning from April 2026. The Graduate visa duration will be reduced to 18 months for non-PhD graduates applying from 1 January 2027.
Canada
2026 Study Permit Allocations Announced
On 25 November 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released the provincial and territorial allocations for the 2026 international student cap. Canada will issue approximately 406,000 study permits in 2026, a 7% decrease from the 2025 target of 437,000 and 16% lower than 2024. However, positive news emerged for graduate students: from 1 January 2026, master’s and doctoral students enrolled at public designated learning institutions will be exempt from the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) requirement. This exemption recognises graduate students’ contributions to Canada’s economic growth and innovation.
Continuing Study Permit Cap Impact
The international student cap introduced in 2024 continues to reshape Canada’s education sector. Reports indicate that new international student arrivals have declined significantly, with projections suggesting approximately 70% fewer new study permits compared to 2023 levels. Canadian universities are reporting lower undergraduate and postgraduate enrolments, with survey data showing 82% of Canadian institutions experienced decreased undergraduate international enrolments in the fall 2025 intake. Students planning to study in Canada should apply early and ensure they meet all financial requirements, which remain at CA$22,895 minimum.
Australia
Skilled Visa Allocations Confirmed for 2025-26
The Australian Department of Home Affairs confirmed final state and territory nomination allocations for the 2025-26 program year in November 2025. A total of 20,350 visa places are available across Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) and Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) programs, comprising 12,850 places for Subclass 190 and 7,500 for Subclass 491. Victoria leads with 2,700 Subclass 190 places, followed by NSW with 2,100 places. Most states experienced decreased Subclass 190 allocations compared to the previous year, with Queensland being a notable exception, gaining 1,250 additional places.
Skills in Demand Visa Updates
Technical amendments to the Migration Regulations came into effect on 29 November 2025, ensuring alignment and consistency in the operation of the Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) visa, which replaced the former Temporary Skill Shortage visa. Australia continues to experience shortages across healthcare, construction, engineering, IT, and hospitality sectors. Queensland alone is seeking approximately 50,000 additional workers by 2027 to support its $77 billion construction pipeline for Olympic infrastructure and housing projects.
Increased International Student Cap for 2026
In positive news for prospective students, Australia has increased its 2026 international student cap to 295,000, a 9% increase from 2025 targets. The government has prioritised enrolments from Southeast Asia, with an additional 25,000 places allocated for university students from this region. IELTS Academic remains the primary English proficiency requirement for both student visa applications and university admissions across Australia.
New Zealand
Investor Visa English Requirement Removed
Effective from 1 April 2025 (continuing through November), the Active Investor Plus Visa no longer requires English language proficiency for applicants. This change, along with revised investment thresholds, has made New Zealand’s investor pathway more accessible to international applicants. However, English requirements remain in place for most other visa categories, including skilled residence visas and the Accredited Employer Work Visa.
Transit and Visitor Visa Changes
From early November 2025, China was granted transit visa waiver status for New Zealand. Additionally, Chinese and Pacific visitors holding eligible Australian visas no longer need a separate New Zealand visa to visit. Immigration New Zealand continues to accept IELTS as proof of English language proficiency for all visa categories, with test results required to be no more than two years old at the time of application.
What This Means for IELTS Candidates
UK applicants: If you’re planning to apply for a Skilled Worker, Scale-up, or HPI visa after January 2026, aim for IELTS band scores of at least 5.5 in all components to meet the new B2 requirement. Consider booking your test and beginning preparation now to ensure you meet the deadline.
Canada applicants: Graduate students should note the upcoming PAL exemption from January 2026. Apply early given the reduced cap, and ensure you meet the CA$22,895 financial requirement. IELTS remains accepted for both study permits and permanent residence pathways.
Australia applicants: IELTS One Skill Retake continues to be accepted for most visa subclasses. If you’re considering skilled migration, research state nomination requirements carefully as allocations vary significantly between states.
All candidates: While competitor tests introduce format changes, IELTS maintains its consistent, familiar structure. This stability allows you to prepare with confidence using established resources. Remember that IELTS is the only major test offering One Skill Retake, and remains the most widely accepted test globally for study, work, and migration purposes.
This update is provided for informational purposes. Immigration policies change frequently, and candidates should always verify current requirements with official government sources before making applications.
Further Reading
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See you in November!