English Test Expired During Visa Processing?

Validity period of an English test result

Most English tests accepted by the Department of Home Affairs have a fixed validity period:

IELTS (Academic and General Training): 3 years from the test date
PTE Academic: 3 years from the test date
Cambridge English (C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency): 3 years from the test date
TOEFL iBT: 2 years from the test date (shorter)
OET: 2 years from the test date for AHPRA purposes — check with the Department about the validity period for a visa

This validity period is not a rule about how long you must use a certificate after obtaining it — rather, the Department will not accept a result sat more than 3 years (or 2 years for TOEFL/OET) before the date of decision on the visa.

When does the Department assess English?

This is the key point many people overlook: the Department assesses the English requirement at the time of decision (the decision date), not at the time of lodgement.

This means that:

If you lodge a visa application on 1 March 2024 with an IELTS result sat on 1 April 2022 (a result that is due to expire on 1 April 2025), the result is still valid at the time of lodgement.
If the visa is not granted before 1 April 2025 (three years after the IELTS test date), your IELTS result will expire before the visa is decided.
In that situation, the Department may ask you to provide a new English test result.

A real scenario: a slow-processing visa

Some visa types can take several years to process:

Subclass 186 ENS (employer nomination): Can take 1–3 years or more, depending on the stream and when you lodge.
Subclass 189/190/491 (skilled independent and state-nominated): Often faster once you receive an invitation, but there can be a long wait at the EOI stage.
Family visas (300, 309): Can take several years, especially offshore prospective marriage and partner visas.

If the expected visa processing time exceeds the validity period of your English result, you should plan proactively to re-sit before the result expires.

What happens if your result expires while you wait?

If your English result expires while the visa is being processed:

The Department may send a request for more information (an s56 request, or a request for information): This is your opportunity to provide a newer English result.
If you have no valid result: The visa may be refused for not meeting the English requirement at the time of decision.
Some visas may be more flexible: This depends on the visa type and your specific circumstances.

It is best not to let a result expire without a backup plan.

A strategy for managing English validity

To avoid the risk of an expired result, follow these steps:

Step 1: Work out the time between when you sat the test and when the visa might be decided. For example: you sit IELTS in March 2023, valid until March 2026. If you lodge a subclass 186 in June 2024 and processing typically takes 18–24 months, the visa might be granted between December 2025 and June 2026. This means there is a risk the result expires before the visa is decided.

Step 2: If there is a risk, re-sit before your current result expires. You don’t need to wait for the result to expire before re-sitting. You can re-sit at any time and upload the newer result to ImmiAccount.

Step 3: Monitor your application and update information promptly. If the Department sends a request for information, respond within the time allowed (usually 28 days).

Does re-sitting affect your visa application?

Re-sitting and submitting a new result has no negative effect on your visa application. The Department will consider the most valid English result at the time of decision.

In fact, proactively providing an in-date English result shows you are organised and well prepared. If the later sitting produces a better score, it is also an opportunity to strengthen your application.

A special note for EOI (Expression of Interest)

When you lodge an EOI through SkillSelect, your English result is used to calculate points. However, the English score in your EOI must also remain valid at the time you receive an invitation and at the time you lodge the actual visa application. If your English result expires after you submit your EOI but before you receive an invitation, you will need to update your EOI with a newer result. The article on English points in the EOI has more detail on this process.