ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR AUSTRALIA

The Australian Department of Immigration (DIAC) has created a number of differing rules regarding the “level of English” that needs to be proved for a particular application.  In the case of offshore, skilled visas (specifically subclass 175, 176 and 475) we have created the following set of Frequently Asked Questions about how to ensure you meet the DIAC’s requirements.

Please note the rules may be different for other types of visas – this information only relates to the 175, 176 and 475 visa applications.

• Do I need to sit an English Language Test before lodging a 175,176 or 475 visa application?You do not need to sit an English Language Test before lodging a 175, 176 or 475 visa application if you are a passport holder from the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, The United States, Canada or New Zealand.  You will need to sit an English Language Test before lodging a 175, 176 or 475 visa application if you do not hold a passport from one of those countries.

• I have established that I need to sit an English Test for my immigration application how I do I do that?For most people, you will need to book an IELTS exam (International English Language Testing System) at a general level.  As of 1st July 2009 everyone who must sit an IELTS test will need to score at least 6 in each of the 4 areas which you will be tested on; reading, writing, listening and speaking in order to meet the required level to show you have competent English.You can book the exams on the IELTS website.

• Can I sit the Academic level IELTS Exam?Yes, you will still be required to score at least 6 in each area of the IELTS exam in order for the results to be acceptable but as long as you score that level you should be fine.

• I sat an IELTS exam as part of my skills assessment but it was 18 months ago; can I still use that for my immigration application?Yes, IELTS exam results are, for the purposes of Australia Immigration, valid for 24 months.  As long as you lodge your application with the Department of Immigration before your IELTS results are 2 years old, it will still be valid.

• Can I submit my IELTS exam result after I have submitted my application to the Department of Immigration?If you are submitting a 175, 176 or 475 visa application and you do not hold a passport from the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, The United States of America, Canada or New Zealand, you must have sat the test before the application was lodged.  If you do not sit the test before the application was lodged, then your application will be refused as you have failed to satisfy the legislative criteria for these visas.If you have submitted a 175, 176 and 475 visa application and you do hold a passport from the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the United States of America, Canada, or New Zealand then the answer is that you can probably sit the IELTS exam after the application was lodged in order to claim additional points.  We have successfully handled applications where the IELTS result was undertaken after the application was submitted and the points were successfully applied to the application.However, there is some uncertainty about this issue due to the way the legislation has been drafted.  Native English speakers often find the IELTS exam harder than expected and where possible, it is always our advice to sit the test and obtain the required results prior to lodging your application to ensure that you have in all aspects met the Department of Immigration’s criteria.

• I have scored an overall test score of 7.5, but one of my marks was under 6. Is this okay?No, unfortunately it is not. You need to score at least 6 on each of the 4 areas of the IELTS exam in order to have competent English and be able to lodge the visa application (and score 15 points under the English Language Criteria) and score at least 7 in each of the 4 areas of the IELTS exam in order to claim the maximum 25 points for English.  The overall test score is not relevant; it is each of the four individual areas that are relevant.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW ZEALAND

• Minimum standard of English language for Principal (main) ApplicantsPrincipal (main) applicants for the Skilled Migrant Category visas must provide a Test Report Form (no more than 2 years old at the time of the application) from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), showing that they achieved an overall band score of at least 6.5 in the General or Academic test.

  Exceptions may apply to people who can show that:

  • their recognised qualification(s) was gained as a result of a course or courses of study in English
  • or they have current skilled employment in New Zealand for a period of at least 12 months that qualifies for points
  • or they provide other evidence to show that they are a competent user of English. For example, the country in which the applicant currently resides is an English speaking country.

• Minimum standard of English language for Other ApplicantsPartners and dependent children over 16 who are included in a Skilled Migrant Category application must also show that they meet a minimum standard of English or that they have pre-purchased an ESOL training course, or provide other evidence which satisfies the English language requirements.

  Normally a Test Report Form (no more than 2 years old at the time of the application) from IELTS, showing they achieved an overall band score of at least 5 in the IELTS General or Academic test is sufficient.

  Evidence of current skilled employment in New Zealand for a period of at least 12 months that qualifies for points or other evidence, such as study in English, may also suffice.