IELTS vs OET: When OET Suits Healthcare Visa Applicants Better
OET (Occupational English Test) is a healthcare-specific English test recognised by DHA in place of IELTS and PTE. If you work in healthcare, OET is often the more practical choice.
What OET is
OET is designed for 12 healthcare professions: doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, veterinarians, physiotherapists, and several others. The test content centres on the clinical environment — communicating with patients, reading medical documents, and writing referral letters.
Comparing OET and IELTS
| OET | IELTS Academic | |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Healthcare professions | General |
| Context | Clinical (hospitals, clinics) | Academic/general |
| Skills tested | Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking | Similar |
| Speaking | Role-play communicating with patients/colleagues | Direct interview |
| Results | 2 weeks | 13 days (paper), 3–5 days (computer) |
OET scores equivalent to IELTS
DHA sets the equivalent OET scores:
| English level | IELTS | OET |
|---|---|---|
| Competent | 6.0 each band | B each sub-test |
| Proficient | 7.0 each band | B each sub-test |
| Superior | 8.0 each band | A each sub-test |
OET uses a letter scale (A, B, C, D, E) rather than numbers.
When to choose OET over IELTS
OET suits you better if:
- You are a nurse, doctor, pharmacist or in a related healthcare profession
- You are already familiar with English medical terminology from your work
- The clinical context makes you more confident in the Speaking test
- You have failed IELTS several times and want to try a more familiar context
OET is not suitable if you do not work in healthcare — the unfamiliar test content would be a disadvantage.
OET for visas 482 and 186
Both visa 482 and visa 186 accept OET if your occupation is on the list of healthcare professions OET recognises. Check the OET site to see whether your occupation is included.
OET test availability
OET runs tests in many countries but at fewer locations than IELTS. Check the test schedule on the OET site and register early.