Thousands of migrants may have received UK study and work visas despite failing mandatory English tests due to a marking error, The Telegraph reported.

Up to 80,000 candidates taking IELTS exams administered by the British Council between August 2023 and September 2025 received incorrect results, with many wrongly given passing marks.

The error affected listening and reading sections, though only about one per cent of tests were impacted. IELTS has since contacted affected candidates with corrected scores and support.

Compounding the issue, evidence of cheating has emerged in Bangladesh, China, and Vietnam, where leaked test papers were sold, enabling some migrants to secure visas without adequate English proficiency. As a result, several UK universities have suspended recruitment from Bangladesh and Pakistan over concerns about abuses.

The errors have sparked safety concerns, particularly in the NHS and social care sector, where insufficient English skills could endanger patients. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized the situation, warning that improperly approved visas risk integration failures and threaten public safety.

The British Council, which co-owns IELTS with Cambridge University Press & Assessment and IDP Education, said the issue arose from a technical problem affecting a small number of tests. It emphasized that over 99 per cent of exams were unaffected and strengthened procedures to prevent recurrence.

In Bangladesh, police arrested two people selling leaked IELTS papers for £1,000–£2,500. Similar cheating attempts occurred in Vietnam and China. The Home Office is awarding a new £816 million contract for English testing, with the British Council facing competition from other providers.

An IELTS spokesperson said: “We have strict quality control procedures and have taken all necessary steps to prevent this issue from happening again. Affected candidates have been contacted and authorities informed.”