Competent English for Visa 482: Scores and Exemptions

Competent English is the reference English level for the visa 482 Core Skills stream. The English requirement for the visa 482 depends on the stream and the occupation — check the specific level on the official Home Affairs site. This is one of the most important conditions — and also a common cause of refusal if the requirement for each test is not understood correctly.

Scores required for each test

IELTS Academic or General Training

6.0 in each band (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking)
The overall score matters less than the score in each band
Example: L:6.0, R:6.0, W:6.0, S:6.0 — passes. But L:7.5, R:7.5, W:5.5, S:7.5 — does NOT pass, despite a high overall

IELTS results are valid for 3 years from the test date.

PTE Academic

50 points in each component (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking)
PTE Academic (not PTE General or PTE Core)
Valid for 3 years

TOEFL iBT

Minimum score in each section:

Listening: 12
Reading: 13
Writing: 21
Speaking: 18

The TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted by DHA (re-check, as the policy may change).

OET (Occupational English Test)

Grade B in each sub-test (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking)
Only certain medical occupations accept OET — check with a migration agent if unsure
Valid for 2 years (different from the other tests)

Cambridge (CAE or CPE)

169 points in each skill (scale 80–230)
Includes Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) and C2 Proficiency (CPE)
Cambridge English Qualifications (results issued from Jan 2015 onwards)

Who is exempt from the English requirement

By nationality (passport)

Citizens of the following countries are usually exempt — if they lodge a passport of that country:

The United Kingdom (UK)
The United States (USA)
Canada
New Zealand
Ireland

Important note: the exemption is by nationality, not by place of birth or place of residence. A person who holds US citizenship and uses a US passport may be exempt.

By study history

You are exempt if you have completed at least 5 continuous years of formal study at the primary level or higher, in English, in one of the countries above. The conditions:

5 continuous years, not including long breaks
An educational institution in a recognised country
Evidence must be provided (transcripts, a letter of confirmation from the school)

Exemption under international agreement

Some free trade agreements (FTAs) between Australia and certain countries may create additional exemptions. Check with a migration agent for your specific case.

The Specialist Skills stream requires a higher level

The visa 482 Specialist Skills stream requires the “Proficient English” level — one step higher than Competent English:

IELTS: 7.0 in each band
PTE: 65 in each component
TOEFL: correspondingly higher

If you apply for Specialist Skills, you need to prepare for a test at a higher level.

When your test is about to expire

If your English results expire after you have lodged your application but before the visa is granted, DHA will usually ask you to provide new results. Pay attention to the expiry date when planning when to lodge.

Which test suits you best

There is no single answer — it depends on each person’s strengths and weaknesses. A few practical observations, however:

IELTS: the most common, with many preparation centres and a wide range of study materials. A band 6.0 in writing is a significant challenge for many candidates.
PTE Academic: can be taken several times a month, with fast results (5 days) and AI scoring — less subjective.
TOEFL: less common in some markets, with fewer preparation materials, but its integrated-tasks structure may suit some people.

The key thing: take a practice test first to see where you stand relative to the requirement, then decide on the test and a study schedule.