IELTS and the Filipino diaspora: Amplifying global opportunities

FILIPINOS have embodied resilience, adaptability, and ambition. Across countries and cultures, Philippine-based migrants and overseas workers have been forging paths to brighter futures for themselves and their families. At the heart of this journey lies proficiency in the English language as a gateway to global opportunities and a catalyst for diaspora integration.

For many Filipinos aspiring to study, work, or migrate abroad, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a fundamental requirement. Achieving their target band score is often the first step toward realizing their global dreams.

World’s leading high-stakes English test

FOR more than 30 years, IELTS has set the gold standard for English language testing that helps people achieve their professional, personal, and academic goals. It is the world’s most trusted, recognized, and secure English language test.

More than 3 million of its tests are administered each year, as IELTS is accepted by more than 12,000 organizations in more than 150 countries, including universities, employers, immigration authorities, and professional institutions.

Its rigorous testing criteria evaluate the test taker’s abilities in listening, reading, writing, and speaking, ensuring that they possess the language skills necessary to thrive in English-speaking environments.

IELTS offers two test types: the “Standard IELTS” test, and the “IELTS for UKVI” which is approved by the United Kingdom Home Office for work, study, and migration purposes. There are also various flexible ways of taking the IELTS test: It is available on paper, on computer, and online.

The “IELTS Academic Test” is often a required measure of English language proficiency for an academic, higher education environment. With it, a test taker can study at either undergraduate or postgraduate level anywhere in the world, apply for “Tier-4 Student Visa” at a Tier4 sponsor university in the UK, and work in a professional organization in an English-speaking country.

Meanwhile, the “IELTS General Training Test” measures English language proficiency in a practical-everyday context. Test takers can train or study secondary education or vocational courses, work or undertake job-related training in an Englishspeaking country, or migrate to an English-speaking country.

Both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training modules are available in standard IELTS and IELTS for UKVI.

Facilitating international integration

ONE of the most significant impacts of IELTS on Filipino diaspora communities is its role in empowering Filipino professionals advance their careers overseas.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWS) or Filipino workers who worked abroad between April and September 2022 was estimated at 1.96 million, with a total of 18 percent working in Europe, North and South America, and Australia.

For OFWS in English-speaking countries, a strong performance in the IELTS not only enhances job prospects, but also instills confidence, enabling them to excel in diverse professional environments, while contributing meaningfully to their chosen fields.

Moreover, IELTS also unlocks access to global education. With an impressive IELTS score, doors to prestigious universities and colleges around the world swing open for Filipino students who dream of pursuing higher education abroad.

IELTS also serves as a powerful tool for facilitating cultural integration. From participating in social gatherings to engaging in community activities, proficiency in English bridges the gap between Filipino migrants and their host societies, fostering mutual understanding and respect.

Global Filipino companion

AS Filipino migrants, students, and overseas workers continue to navigate the complexities of life abroad, IELTS remains a steadfast companion, giving them the confidence to communicate and connect with their new communities.

IDP Education Philippines, coowner of the IELTS test, continues to lead the sector today by making IELTS accessible to Filipinos nationwide. Senior Operations and Business Development Manager Hannah Esguerra of IDP IELTS said that their firm plans to continue to expand its IELTS testing footprint around the Philippines.

“Our goal…is to bring IDP and IELTS closer to our customers by opening offices in all key cities in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao,” said Esguerra.

IDP provides free IELTS review and practice materials for Filipino test takers to support their test preparation, and help them achieve their best score on test day.

It administers the IELTS test nationwide, and has 16 “IELTS on Computer” labs in Pasig City, Makati City, Quezon City, Cebu City, City of Manila, Laoag City, Baguio City, Naga City, Bacolod City, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Zamboanga City, Boracay, and in the provinces of Pampanga and Laguna.

For more information about IELTS and IDP Education, visit the IDP IELTS web site: https://ielts.idp.com/