OET for Migration Visas: Required Scores and Who Can Use It

OET (Occupational English Test) is a specialised English option for healthcare professions. DHA accepts OET in place of IELTS and PTE — but only for people working in the professions OET covers.

Occupations eligible to use OET

OET is designed for 12 main healthcare professions:

Medicine (doctors)
Dentistry
Nursing
Pharmacy
Physiotherapy
Veterinary Science
Medical Science / Radiography
Dietetics
And several related professions

If your occupation is not on the list, you cannot use OET — you need to use IELTS or PTE.

OET scores for each English level

OET is scored on an A–E scale:

OET B in each sub-test = Competent English (equivalent to IELTS 6.0)
OET B in each sub-test = Proficient English (DHA treats OET B as Proficient — different from IELTS 7.0)
OET A in each sub-test = Superior English (equivalent to IELTS 8.0)

Note: DHA treats OET B as equivalent to both Competent and Proficient — this is a unique feature of OET.

OET for visas 482 and 186

Both visa 482 and visa 186 accept OET B (in each sub-test) in place of IELTS 6.0 / PTE 50 if your occupation is on the OET list.

Advantage of OET B: OET B can be easier to reach than IELTS 7.0 in some cases because OET is scored in a specialised healthcare context.

Test dates and registration

OET runs tests in many countries. It has fewer test dates than IELTS, so you need to book early. Register and check test dates on the OET website.

Do OET scores expire

OET scores are usually valid indefinitely for the purpose of professional registration in Australia, but DHA may require results within 3 years for visa purposes. Check the specific requirement of the visa you are lodging.