| The International English Language Testing System or | | | | Another new test provider, world-wide publisher |
| more commonly known as IELTS is the brainchild of | | | | Pearson, is also said to have applied to the Australian |
| the British and Australian. It is an international | | | | government for an official status. These competitors |
| standardised test of English language proficiency. | | | | are very keen to bite off some market share of |
| IELTS has effectively been granted the monopoly | | | | IELTS. |
| power when both the British and Australian home | | | | Australian Minister's decision is likely to be influenced by |
| office made it compulsory for student visa applicants | | | | the fact that the Australian economy relies a lot on |
| to take the test. IELTS is also used as a benchmark | | | | overseas students. The influx of Chinese, Indian and |
| for skilled migration applicants. Students sometime | | | | Iranian students are now at the highest in history. |
| even complain that waiting time is too long because | | | | These emerging countries have fast growing |
| too many people are in the queue to take IELTS. | | | | economies and parents are now financially capable to |
| The test fee is not cheap either. It is not an amount | | | | send their children to Australia, UK and the USA for |
| that any student can easily afford. The test fee in the | | | | education. However, not all of the students would have |
| UK is priced at 110 sterling pounds per attempt. Test | | | | chosen to take IELTS. Many of them would have |
| results that have lapsed for two years is generally | | | | taken TOEFL because they are also applying to |
| considered as outdated by the immigration department | | | | academic institutions in the USA. It is wise of the |
| and a new test has to be taken. However, no official | | | | Australian Minister to realise that by making IELTS the |
| figures have been released to show how big the UK | | | | only option, it is likely to alienate potential overseas |
| English proficiency test market really is. According to | | | | students together with the school fees they bring to |
| anecdotal evidence, the similar market in Australia is | | | | Australia. |
| estimated about 27 million sterling pounds. Archived | | | | IELTS also came under some bad press in November |
| records from the UK Department of Education and | | | | 2009 in India. The British Council is responsible for |
| Employment also showed that British English language | | | | administering the IELTS in India; however, their |
| products were worth about 800 million sterling pounds | | | | employees have been alleged to be taking money to |
| in 1988. This huge figure is not surprising because most | | | | sit the exam for others. Critics commented the issue |
| students will pay additional money to go for IELTS | | | | here is because the British Council does not submit |
| focused tuition. | | | | itself to any external audit. They also argued that |
| On the other side of the globe, the Australian | | | | unless IELTS is taken off the monopoly seat, these |
| Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans have | | | | fraudulent incidents will continue. |
| indicated that alternative English proficiency tests will | | | | Perhaps it is true when an organisation is in a |
| soon be recognised for immigration purposes. Many | | | | monopoly position; it is also very susceptible to being |
| other test providers welcome this decision. One of | | | | abused. I think we should seriously re-assess our |
| them is the Test of English as a Foreign Language | | | | approach to the English proficiency test in the UK. |
| (TOEFL), which is designed by the Americans in 1964. | | | | |