Anticipated declines in international student mobility to the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia, driven by restrictive visa policies and rising costs, are reshaping the English Language Test (ELT) ecosystem. Traditionally dominant ELTs like TOEFL (administered by ETS) and IELTS (British Council, IDP, Cambridge English) are facing competitive pressures from tech-driven, affordable alternatives such as the Duolingo English Test (DET).
These shifts are critical, as 3.2 million international students currently study in the U.S., UK, Canada, or Australia, but recent and upcoming visa and immigration policy changes are creating uncertainty, likely leading to a decline with significant market implications for ELT providers.
