English Speaking Overseas Languages (ESOL)

A new immigration route opened on 31 January 2021, providing Hong Kong British National (Overseas) "BN(O)" status holders and their dependants with the opportunity to come to the UK to live, study and work, on a pathway to citizenship.

Funding has been made available to Local Authorities, including Oxfordshire County Council, to provide language training to ensure that BN(O) status holders and their adult family members achieve the level of proficiency needed to function in their everyday life, including in the workplace if they are seeking employment. They will not be eligible for Adult Education Budget funding until they have been resident for 3 years.

The Council intends to provide training providers, who have relevant expertise, the chance to compete and deliver ESOL courses for Hong Kong BN(O)s. Tenderers who successfully meet the pass criteria outlined in the tender pack, will be accepted onto an approved list of providers for the delivery of this service.

As an Approved Provider you will:

• Be accepted onto a list of Approved Providers and your details will be published on Oxfordshire County Council's website on a page related to the provision of ESOL.
• Have potential leaners signposted to you by Oxfordshire County Council, who will direct any potential learners to the approved supplier list on the internet pages.
• Be contacted by potential learners who will have the freedom to contact approved providers of their choosing, based on the list provided, to enrol on an English Course.
• Inform Oxfordshire County Council of all eligible learners who have completed the English Course with you, providing details as required, to allow the release of funding to you.

The contract for the Approved Provider List will begin in February 2023 and run for a period of 12 months, with annual extension options every year, for a period of 12 additional months each.