English Requirement for Australian Visas

English Requirements for Australian Visas

From 14 December 2022, IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR) will be available for certain test takers. OSR allows test takers to retake one of the four test components in either reading, writing, speaking or listening (once only).

For Australian visa purposes, the Department will accept IELTS test results that include OSR, with the exception of applications for subclasses 476, 482, and 485, which need scores from a single sitting/attempt.

TOEFL iBT tests taken from 5 May 2024 are now valid as an English test for Australian visa and migration purposes.

TOEFL iBT tests that were completed between 26 July 2023 and 4 May 2024 will not be accepted for Australian visa and migration purposes as during this period, the TOEFL iBT test being offered was not an approved test. However, tests taken before July 26th, 2023, remain valid for two years

Please note that TOEFL iBT must be taken at a secure test center as the Department does not currently accept any English-language tests that are taken online for Australian visa and migration purposes.

From early 2024, the English requirements for Student visas will be increased to:

IELTS 5.0 or equivalent for ELICOS student visa applicants
IELTS 5.5 or equivalent for student visa applicants undertaking foundation or pathway programs with reputable English language training
IELTS 6.0 or equivalent for other student visa applicants
IELTS 6.5 or equivalent for Temporary Graduate visa applicants

Here is a list of the most commonly used Australian visas and their English requirements.

Level of English required for all Australian visas

Visa Type

Level of English

482 TSS Visa

Medium and Long Term TSS Visa (482): IELTS 5 (no skill below 5) or equivalent
Short-Term TSS Visa (482) : IELTS overall 5 (no skill below 4.5) or equivalent

ENS 186 visa

IELTS 6 in all skills or equivalent

RSMS 187 visa

IELTS 6 in all skills or equivalent

Most Skilled Migration visas (189 visa, 190 visa and 491 visa and 494 visa)

Competent English (IELTS 6 or equivalent in all skills)	0
Proficient English (IELTS 7 or equivalent in all skills)	10
Superior English (IELTS 8 or equivalent in all skills)	20

Other Australian visas and their English requirements:

Training visa (subclass 407): Functional English (average 4.5 in IELTS or equivalent)
Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408): Functional English (average 4.5 in IELTS or equivalent)
Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403): No English requirement
Graduate Temporary 485 Visa: IELTS (Academic or General Training) overall average of 6 and at least 5 in each band or equivalent (or equivalent)
Recognised Graduate (476): Overall score of at least IELTS 6 with a minimum score of 5 for each of the 4 parts (or equivalent)
Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887): No English requirement for the main applicant
Distinguished Talent visa (124 visa): All applicants must have functional English or you will need to pay an extra charge, called the second instalment to be granted this visa
Functional English: for secondary applicants seeking to avoid paying the English Language Charge

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188A & 188B Business visas: There is no minimum English language requirement for the business migration subclasses. However, applicants with less than functional English will need to pay an English Language Charge before receiving their visas.

Points are available for:

Vocational English (5 minimum in each of the 4 components of IELTS or equivalent): 5 points
Proficient English (7 minimum in each of the 4 components of IELTS or equivalent): 10 points

Validity of English Tests

Tests conducted up to 3 years prior to lodgement of an application are accepted by the Department of Immigration.

Applications that need a functional English require testing to have been done at most 12 months before lodgement.

A summary of test score equivalencies for all English language tests accepted by the department is provided below.

English Language proficiency level	IELTS	TOEFL iBT	PTE Academic	OET	Cambridge (CAE)
Vocational	5.5	Listening & Reading 4.0 Writing & Speaking 14	36	B	154
Competent	6.0	Listening: 12 Reading: 13 Writing: 21 Speaking: 18	50	B	169
Proficient (for points tested Skilled visas)	7.0	Listening & Reading: 24 Writing: 27 Speaking: 23	65	B	185
Superior (for points tested Skilled visas)	8.0	Listening: 28 Reading: 29 Writing: 30 Speaking: 26	79	A	200

Partner visa 820 (onshore) and subclass 309 (offshore): applicants with less than functional English (average 4.5 in IELTS or equivalent) will need to pay an English Language Charge.

Work & Holiday

Competent English (IELTS 6 or equivalent)

For most skilled visas, you will need to show at least Competent English to meet the threshold criteria. If you hold a passport from one of the following 5 countries, you can establish competent English without completing an English test:

Canada
New Zealand
United Kingdom
United States
Ireland

Am I eligible for a TSS 482 visa?

Increased English Language test scores for Student visas

Migration (English Language Tests and Evidence Exemptions for Subclass 500 (Student) Visa) Instrument (LIN 24/022) 2024 increases the required English language test scores applicable to a student (sc 500) visa.

The amendments to the test scores can be found in the table below. Please note that the old scores are in black and the new scores are in green.

Test name	Minimum test score	Principal course accompanied by 10 weeks ELICOS/ standard foundation program/extended foundation program/ eligible pathway program	Principal course accompanied by at least 20 weeks ELICOS
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)	Overall band score 5.5 /Overall band score 6.0	Overall band score 5.0 /Overall band score 5.5	Overall band score 4.5 /Overall band score 5.0
Cambridge English: Advanced test (CAE)**	162 / 169	154 / 162	147 / 154
Occupational English Test (OET)	A score of at least B for each component	a score of at least B for each test component	a score of at least B for each test component
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE)	42 / 50	36 / 42	30 / 36
Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test (TOEFL iBT)*	46 / 64	35 / 46	32 / 35

*On 26 July 2023 the TOEFL internet-based test (TOEFL iBT) stopped offering English language tests for Australian visa purposes. A score for a TOEFL iBT test taken on or after 26 July 2023 will no longer satisfy the English language requirement for Student visa purposes. Only TOEFL iBT scores from a test taken on or before 25 July 2023 are accepted for Student visa purposes.

**From 12 February 2024, only results from the paper-based Cambridge C1 Advanced test (previously known as Cambridge English: Advanced CAE) will be accepted for Australian visa and migration purposes. Test scores for both C1 Advanced paper-based and computer-based tests, taken before 12 February 2024, within the specified validity period are still accepted.

Covid-19 and at home language tests

Some testing centres have tests that you can take at home, such as TOEFL iBT – Special Home Edition, OET@Home and IELTS Indicator. DHA does not currently accept these tests.

Score Ranges

English testing organisations will sometimes adjust their score ranges as new research and knowledge about English testing is developed. We consider these changes carefully before we make any adjustments to the scores required for our English Levels. Where it is decided that scores will change, a notice will be put on this website with information on how it may impact you.

If you would like to find out more about the English language requirements or discuss your visa options further, please book an appointment.

Remote or ‘at home’ English language tests not acceptable

When applying for student, skilled and some permanent visas, you will need to meet our English language requirements. The Department does not accept scores from remote or ‘at home’ English language tests as evidence of English language competency. For more information about English language test scores DHA accept for visa purposes, please refer to our English language.