The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has implemented a new minimum English language test scores for the following visas:

• Skilled – Recognised Graduate (subclass 467)
• Temporary Graduate (subclass 485)

The changes were implemented and are applied to the lodged applications for the said visas on or after April 18, 2015. If you lodged an application on or after 18th of April 2015, you must provide evidence of having achieved one of the following in a test taken in the three years immediately prior to lodging your visa application:

• an overall score of at least 6, with nothing below 5 in each of the four test components (speaking, reading, listening and writing) in an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test
• a score of at least ‘B’ in each of the four test components (speaking, reading, listening and writing) of an Occupational English Test (OET)
• a total score of at least 64, with nothing below 4 for listening, 4 for reading, 14 for writing and 14 for speaking, in a Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test (TOEFL iBT)
• an overall score of at least 50 with nothing below 36 in each of the four test components (listening, reading, writing and speaking) in a Pearson Test of English Academic
• an overall score of at least 169 with nothing below 154 in each of the four test components (listening, reading, w​​​​riting and speaking) in a Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) test taken on or after 1 January 2015.

This removes the ‘competent English’ requirement for subclasses 476 and 458.

Take note that only the minimum English test scores are changed. Applicants will still meet the English requirement if they hold a valid passport issued by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland.

For more information, please visit Changes to minimum English language test scores for subclasses 476 and 485