English Language Requirement for Australian Visas

English Language Requirement for Australian Visas

English is one of the key requirements for applicants to demonstrate for all Skilled Migration Visas to Australia.

You can prove that your English language ability is at the appropriate level by either of the three below:

1. Providing evidence that you have studied in English for at least five years in one or more of the following countries: Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, South Africa, or the Republic of Ireland
2. Being enrolled in an English course by your education provider
3. Passing an approved test of your English language ability and achieving the required score

The required level of English depends on the visa subclass you are applying for in Skilled Migration. There are four (4) different levels of English Language Score which may be relevant:

• Superior English:                   20 points
• Proficient English:                 10 points
• Competent English:              0 points – Minimum threshold requirement for GSM
• Functional English:               Minimum threshold requirement for GSM secondary
  applicants GSM seeking to avoid paying the English Language
  Charge

When do you need the English Score by: At Time of Invitation or Time of Application?

The timing of the English language requirement depends on the type of visa being applied for:

• General Skilled Migration (GSM): Time of Invitation via SkillSelect
• RSMS and ENS visas: Time of Visa Application

As it can take some time to obtain a booking for a test and to receive the results, we strongly recommend that you plan to practice and take the English test well ahead of time.

How long are English Test Scores Valid for?

English Test scores dated up to 3 years prior to visa application lodgement will be accepted by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).

The only exception to this is for Functional English which is generally required for Partner or Spouse of the main GSM applicant. Functional English score must have been taken within 12 months of the visa application lodgment date.

Acceptable English Tests

The IELTS test is the most common way of evidencing English language ability. Either the Academic or General Training versions of the test are acceptable to the Department of Immigration, but some skills assessing authorities require applicants to sit the Academic version. You will need to obtain a minimum score in each band of the IELTS (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking) in a single sitting.

The Occupational English Test (OET) is also accepted as evidence of proficient and superior levels of English. The OET is only appropriate for medical and allied health professionals.

The Pearson Academic Test of English (Pearson PTE) and TOEFL Internet Based Test (TOEFL iBT) are now accepted for all skilled subclasses. Most state and territory governments also recognise these tests, as do some skills assessment authorities.

The Cambridge Test of English is also accepted from January 2015.

You can read more about the pros and cons of each English test in our article here.

English Language proficiency level	IELTS (Band Score)	TOEFL (Marks)	PTE Academic (Points score)	OET (Grade)	Cambridge (Points score)
Vocational	5.0	Listening – 4 Reading – 4 Writing – 14 Speaking– 14	36	B	154
Competent	6.0	Listening – 12 Reading – 13 Writing – 21 Speaking – 18	50	B	169
Proficient (for points evaluated Skilled visas)	7.0	Listening – 24 Reading – 24 Writing – 27 Speaking – 23	65	B	185
Superior (for points evaluated Skilled visas)	8.0	Listening – 28 Reading – 29 Writing – 30 Speaking – 26	79	A	200
Result Time – Period	After 13 days	After 10 days	Within 5 days	After 15 days	After 2-6 weeks

Migration points awarded on English skills factor for General Skilled Migration

Points	Level of English
No points award	Competent
10 Points	Proficient
20 Points	Superior

Migration points awarded for English language skills for Spouse or De Facto partner

Points	Level of English
05 Points	Competent

Functional English

You can show your spouse or De Facto partner has functional English ability by providing evidence of one of the following:

1. Completion of a degree, higher degree, diploma or trade certificate that required at least 2 years of study in English medium
2. Completion of all years of primary education and at least 3 years of secondary education in English medium; or
3. Completion of at least 5 years of secondary education in English medium; or
4. Scoring at least 4.5 averaged over the four components of the IELTS test within the 12 months before application, or during processing; or
5. Completion in Australia of at least 1 year of full-time study or equivalent part-time study towards a degree, higher degree, diploma, or associate diploma in English medium.
6. In some circumstances, functional English can be established via interview

You can also demonstrate functional English by completing an English test and scoring as follows:

Test component	Avg. Score
IELTS	4.5
TOEFL iBT	8
PTE Academic	30
OET	n/a
Cambridge (CAE)	147

Note: TOEFL iBT tests that were completed between 26 July 2023 and 4 May 2024 will not be accepted for Australian visa and migration purposes. During this period, the TOEFL iBT test being offered was not an approved test.

Preparing for your English test to obtain your Australian Visa

Please find bellow a list of websites where you can find all you need to study by yourself.

• https://pearsonpte.com/preparation/
• IELTS-Blog

To conclude, there are plenty of options to select from when it comes to English test, but to fulfil the Australian visa requirement against your visa category, one should consider the factors that we discussed about before taking the exams.

However, from international student perspective and from the perspective of many skilled migrants, PTE (Academic) test has become the most popular English test based on the feedback of thousands of migrants over the past six years.

Note: This blog was originally published in December 2018 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

January 22, 2024