What Superior English Is and Its Benefit for Skilled EOI Points
Superior English is the highest English level DHA recognises in migration. It is not a mandatory requirement for a visa, but it offers a significant EOI points advantage in skilled migration.
Test scores equivalent to Superior English
IELTS: Each band: minimum 8.0
PTE Academic: Each skill: minimum 79
OET: Each sub-test: minimum A (different from Proficient/Competent, which is “B”)
TOEFL iBT: Listening: 28, Reading: 29, Writing: 30, Speaking: 26
Cambridge C2 Proficiency: The Cambridge C2 certificate is accepted at the Superior level
Benefit in skilled migration EOI
In the SkillSelect system, English points are allocated as follows:
- Competent: 0 points
- Proficient: 10 points
- Superior: 20 points
The 10-point gap between Proficient and Superior is significant — equivalent to about 3 years of additional work experience.
Is a resit worth it to reach Superior
It depends on your current total EOI score:
Worth investing in a resit if:
- Your total EOI score is 10–20 points short of recent invitation thresholds
- You have already reached Proficient (IELTS 7.0+) and need more points
- Your occupation has a competitive pool (large pool, high threshold)
Not necessary if:
- You are using State/Territory Nomination (190/491) with a lower threshold
- Your total score is already high enough to receive an invitation
- The gap from your current score to Superior is too large (IELTS 6.0 to 8.0 is not realistic in a short period)
IELTS 8.0 in each band — how hard
IELTS 8.0 in each band is a very high level. Even native speakers do not all reach 8.0 in each band. Writing is often the hardest skill to reach 8.0 in.
If your goal is Superior, PTE 79 in each skill is sometimes easier to reach than IELTS 8.0 for those comfortable testing on a computer.