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Key Changes:
- PTE test score requirement has changed significantly if tests taken on or after 7 August 2025.
- 3 additional English test types have been added.
- IELTS General has been added for Subclass 485 and 500.
- Functional English test requirement changed.
New PTE Score Requirement
There are significant changes for the scores for the test taken on or after 7 August 2025. If you have taken PTE test on or after 7 August 2025 then you must acquire the new PTE score requirement shown in the table below.
| Date of the Test | English Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before 7 August 2025 | Vocational | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| Competent | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | |
| Proficient | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 | |
| Superior | 79 | 79 | 79 | 79 | |
| On or After 7 August 2025 | Vocational | 33 | 36 | 29 | 24 |
| Competent | 47 | 48 | 51 | 54 | |
| Proficient | 58 | 59 | 69 | 76 | |
| Superior | 69 | 70 | 85 | 88 |
Three New Test Types Added
The department has added 3 new tests on top of the five previously acceptable test types. The department accepts test scores from the following tests that are undertaken at a secure test centre.
For tests taken before 7 August 2025 |
|
For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025 | All the tests listed above plus:
|
English Requirement Summary for Skilled Visa
English test requirement for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025 for all test types along with exempted passports holders are summarised in the table below.
| Test Type or Passport | English Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic or General) | Vocational | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Competent | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
| Proficient | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| Superior | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
| PTE Academic | Vocational | 33 | 36 | 29 | 24 |
| Competent | 47 | 48 | 51 | 54 | |
| Proficient | 58 | 59 | 69 | 76 | |
| Superior | 69 | 70 | 85 | 88 | |
| OET | Vocational | 220 | 240 | 200 | 270 |
| Competent | 290 | 310 | 290 | 330 | |
| Proficient | 350 | 360 | 380 | 360 | |
| Superior | 390 | 400 | 420 | 400 | |
| C1 Advanced | Vocational | N/A (Excluded) | |||
| Competent | 163 | 163 | 170 | 179 | |
| Proficient | 175 | 179 | 193 | 194 | |
| Superior | 186 | 190 | 210 | 208 | |
| TOEFL iBT | Vocational | 8 | 8 | 9 | 14 |
| Competent | 16 | 16 | 19 | 19 | |
| Proficient | 22 | 22 | 26 | 24 | |
| Superior | 26 | 27 | 30 | 28 | |
| CELPIP General | Vocational | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Competent | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| Proficient | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 | |
| Superior | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | |
| LANGUAGECERT Academic | Vocational | 41 | 44 | 45 | 54 |
| Competent | 57 | 60 | 64 | 70 | |
| Proficient | 67 | 71 | 78 | 82 | |
| Superior | 80 | 83 | 89 | 89 | |
| MET | Vocational | 49 | 47 | 45 | 38 |
| Competent | 56 | 55 | 57 | 48 | |
| Proficient | 61 | 63 | 74 | 59 | |
| Superior | N/A (Excluded) | ||||
| Specified Passport Holders | Vocational | If you hold passport from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, UK or USA you fulfil the requirement of Vocational and Competent English requirement. | |||
| Competent | |||||
| Proficient | Not Eligible | ||||
| Superior | |||||
Language Requirement for Subclass 485
Subclass 485 candidate who has taken English test on or after 7 August 2025 must fulfil the new English test requirement for visa subclass 485. As per new requirement student can take IELTS General along with 3 additional test options; however, there are changes for PTE test score requirement. Test score requirement summary shown in the table below:
| Test Type or Passport | Overall/Total | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic or General) | 6.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| PTE Academic | 55 | 40 | 42 | 41 | 39 |
| OET | 1310 | 260 | 280 | 260 | 310 |
| TOEFL iBT | 81 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 17 |
| CELPIP General | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| LANGUAGECERT Academic | 67 | 49 | 54 | 56 | 62 |
| MET | 58 | 53 | 51 | 51 | 43 |
| C1 Advanced | N/A (Excluded) | ||||
| Specified Passport Holders | If you hold passport from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, UK or USA then English language proficiency requirements do not apply. | ||||
| Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) | Has different English score requirement for example, for IELTS overall 6.0 and minimum of 5.0 in each band, for PTE overall 47 and minimum of listening-33, reading-36, writing-29 and speaking-24. | ||||
Note: For visa subclass 485 the English test must be taken within 1 year before the date of the visa application.
Language Requirement for Subclass 500
Student visa subclass 500 requirement also changed for the test taken on or after 7 August 2025.
| Test Type | Overall/Total in General | Overall/Total with 10 Weeks of ELICOS | Overall/Total with 20 Weeks of ELICOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic or General) | 6.0 | 5.5 | 5.0 |
| PTE Academic | 47 | 39 | 31 |
| OET | 1210 | 1090 | 1020 |
| TOEFL iBT | 67 | N/A | |
| CELPIP General | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| LANGUAGECERT Academic | 61 | 54 | 46 |
| MET | 53 | 49 | 44 |
| C1 Advanced | 161 | ||
Note: For visa subclass 500 the English test must be taken within 2-year period before the date of the visa application if the evidence provided with the application otherwise within 2-year of the visa decision.
English language test requirements for subclass 500 do not apply for:
- The citizen of, and hold a valid passport of Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, UK or USA.
- Visa applicant enrolled only in and any of the course that is:
- registered to be delivered in a language other than English;
- an ELICOS;
- a registered school course;
- a registered post-graduate research course.
- Visa applicant who is:
- a Foreign Affairs student; or
- a Defence Student; or
- (a Secondary exchange student.
- Visa applicant who, in the 2 years before applying for a Subclass 500 (Student) visa, in Australia, has successfully completed
- Senior Secondary Certificate of Education, or
- a substantial component (at least 50%) of a course at AQF Certificate IV level or higher that is delivered in English.
- Visa applicant who has successfully completed a minimum of 5 years of study in English undertaken in one or more of the following countries:
- Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, UK and USA.
Functional English
From 7 August 2025, Functional English skill wherever required, for example second instalment of visa fees for not having at least functional English level, can be demonstrated any of the following ways:
- The citizen of, and hold a valid passport of Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, UK or USA.
- Completed study where all instruction was conducted in English for
- all years of primary education and at least 3 years of secondary education; or
- at least 5 years of secondary education; or
- in Australia, at least 1 year of full-time study or equivalent part-time study towards a degree, or a higher degree, or a diploma, or an associate diploma.
- Achieved at least any of the following band score (average/overall/total):
| IELTS | PTE | OET | TOEFL iBT | CELPIP | LANGUAGE CERT | MET |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5 | 24 | 1020 | 26 | 5 | 38 | 38 |
Online Test Restrictions
The department does not accept evidence from English language tests that are delivered completely online (also known as ‘remote-proctored’ or ‘at-home’).
Examples of online tests that department do not accept for Australian visa purposes include:
- CELPIP Online
- IELTS Online
- LANGUAGECERT Academic Online
- MET Digital (taken at-home)
- OET@Home
- TOEFL iBT – Home Edition
Reference:
- LIN 25/016
- LIN 25/014
- LIN 25/089
- LIN 25/090
