There is no minimum level of English needed to emigrate to the UK to live and work permanently.

However, the UK government has said it wants BNOs to ‘show a commitment to learn English where appropriate’, for example where their level is noticeably poor. And if you want to gain full British citizenship after five or more years in the country, it is necessary to pass a multiple-choice test called the Life in the UK Test which demands a good level of English reading and comprehension.

If you are unsure about your current level of English, start with this online  test from the British Council. It only takes a few minutes and will give you an indication of your current ability.

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Lessons ⦁ 喺香港定嚟英國上堂學英文

Should you want to improve your English before the big move, there are many places in Hong Kong that offer English lessons. You should be able to find these easily – please post and recommendations of experiences in the comments below!

✅  The British Council offers this 60-lesson course in Hong Kong. You can choose between face-to-face lessons at their Admiralty and Tsim Sha Tsui centres, and online lessons amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

In the UK, there are many physical courses you can choose from by visiting the English UK site. For some free and short courses, sign up at FutureLearn. 

Alternatively, you can always find a private tutor either in HK or in the UK. Again, if you have a recommendation or experience to share with other Ying Goi Dim users, please do so.

SELT Test ⦁ 乜嘢係SELT考試

One official test which the UK government has used for working visas (not the BNO route) is called the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) process. These sample videos give you an idea of what is considered a good level of English in that system.

If you want to prove your English ability, you could take the SELT test in the UK, or in Hong Kong, but remember you can only take it with a Home Office approved SELT provider.

_{Image: Brooke Cagle on Unsplash}