The number of individuals undertaking IELTS has continued to grow in recent years, standing at approximately 3 million candidates per year in 2016. As a result, this high-stakes, high-pressure test has become firmly entrenched as a global gatekeeping institution, regulating the international flows of people for migration and academic study. This paper provides critical perspectives on the design and administration of the IELTS test from the viewpoint of the often-ignored, yet key stakeholders in IELTS: the test-takers themselves. It argues that, with the growth in the need for recognized and trusted evidence of English language proficiency internationally, the co-owners of IELTS have amassed enormous global power over the lives of millions of people, with considerable ethical ramifications. It critiques seven features of IELTS and suggests implementable solutions to enable IELTS to become a more democratic and humane testing system, imbued with potential for learning, for the benefit of its test-takers.