In most cases, principal applicants are required to have at least Vocational English ability to be eligible for a migration visa.

Secondary applicants who are over the age of 18 must have at least Functional English. If they fail to meet this minimum requirement, they will be required to pay a second instalment which entitles them to English language tuition in Australia to achieve functional English.

Business Skills migration visa applicants are normally not required to undertake IELTS tests but their English language ability will be assessed in an interview.

Proof of English Language Ability

There are a number of ways to prove your English language ability:

You need to provide evidence that:

• you are a native English speaker; or
• you hold an award (being a degree, a higher degree, a diploma or trade certificate) from an institution where all instruction has been conducted in English. (The duration of full-time study for this award would normally be at least two years); or
• you hold NATTI accreditation; or
• you have undertaken an IELTS test; or
• you have passed an occupational English test (OET)

English Test

IELTS test

The test comprises the Academic and the General Training Modules. Most applicants only need to take the General Training Module for visa purposes, unless they are advised otherwise or their profession requires a higher level of English proficiency.

OET

A pass in the OET means that an applicant has competent English for visa purposes. Applicants who are in the following occupations must sit for the OET:

Dentistry
Dietetics
Medicine
Nursing
Occupational therapy
Pharmacy
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Radiography
Speech pathology
Veterinary science