Which English Tests Does the 485 Visa Accept?

The Department of Home Affairs accepts only tests taken at a secure, in-person test centre. All online, remote-proctored, and at-home test formats are rejected — regardless of the score.

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Accepted tests from 7 August 2025:

• IELTS Academic (including One Skill Retake)

• IELTS General Training (including One Skill Retake)

• PTE Academic (new format, in-person only)

• TOEFL iBT (in-person, registered under 'Taking TOEFL for Australia')

• OET (in-person)

• CELPIP General (in-person)

• LANGUAGECERT Academic (in-person)

• MET (including Single Section Retake)

Tests the Department does NOT accept:

• Cambridge C1 Advanced — removed for sittings from 7 August 2025

• CELPIP Online

• IELTS Online

• LANGUAGECERT Academic Online

• MET Digital (at-home)

• OET@Home

• TOEFL iBT Home Edition

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IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training — Which Should I Choose?

Both are accepted for the 485 visa, and both require the same minimum scores. Choose the version you are more confident in. There is no immigration advantage to taking Academic over General Training for this visa.

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How Long Is Your English Test Valid for the 485 Visa?

Your test result must be from a sitting within the 12 months immediately before the date you lodge your 485 application. A result that expires even one day before lodgement is treated as no result at all.

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This is the single most common English-related mistake in 485 visa applications. Many applicants sit their test early — during their final semester — and then run out of time to lodge before the result expires.

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Plan your test date around your expected lodgement date, not your expected graduation date. Most applicants target a sitting 1–3 months before their intended lodgement date. For a full lodgement timeline, see how to apply for the 485 visa.

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Note on pre-August 2025 results: Tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 may be used as evidence of English proficiency until 6 August 2028 for some visa subclasses. Whether this applies to the 485 visa specifically depends on current legislative instruments — confirm with a registered migration agent before assuming a 3-year window applies.

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IELTS One Skill Retake — Does It Count for the 485 Visa?

Yes. The Department of Home Affairs accepts IELTS results that include the One Skill Retake (OSR) for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).

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The OSR allows you to retake a single component — Listening, Reading, Writing, or Speaking — rather than repeating the full test. Your original sitting score for the other three components remains, and the retake score replaces the one component you chose to retake.

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Critical rule: the OSR must be completed and finalised before you lodge your visa application. You cannot lodge with a pending retake and provide the result later.

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The same applies for the MET Single Section Retake (SSR) — accepted for the 485 visa, but the SSR must be completed before lodgement.

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The TOEFL iBT Registration Trap

If you plan to use TOEFL iBT for your 485 visa application, you must select "Taking TOEFL for Australia" when registering for your test.

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TOEFL iBT results that are not registered under this pathway are not eligible for Australian visa purposes, even if your scores meet the minimum requirement. This is one of the lesser-known traps and results in unnecessary refusals.

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The option to register under "Taking TOEFL for Australia" must be selected at the time of booking. It cannot be applied retrospectively after you have sat the test.

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What Changed in 2024 and 2025?

March 2024 changes (from 23 March 2024):

• Minimum IELTS score raised from 6.0 overall to 6.5 overall, with each component minimum raised from 5.0 to 5.5

• Test validity window cut from 3 years to 1 year

• Hong Kong and BNO passport holders were not affected by the score increase — their threshold remained at IELTS 6.0 overall with 5.0 in each component

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August 2025 changes (from 7 August 2025):

• Three new tests added: CELPIP General, LANGUAGECERT Academic, and MET

• Cambridge C1 Advanced removed for new sittings — no longer accepted for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025

• PTE Academic introduced a new test format with updated (higher) component scores

• TOEFL iBT score thresholds updated to per-component only (no overall threshold)

• OET moved from alphabetical to numerical scoring — OET no longer provides overall score on reports; applicants must contact OET directly for their overall score

• IELTS OSR and MET SSR confirmed as accepted for eligible 485 visa applications

• Online and remote-proctored test formats explicitly banned across all accepted tests

These changes apply based on the date the test was taken, not the date you lodge. A test taken on 6 August 2025 falls under the old rules; a test taken on 7 August 2025 falls under the new rules.

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Common English Mistakes That Cause 485 Visa Refusals

These are the most frequent English-related refusal triggers. For the full document checklist including all other lodgement requirements, see the 485 visa document checklist.

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• Expired result — test taken more than 12 months before lodgement. The validity window for the 485 visa is strict. "Recent" in the applicant's mind is not the same as "within 12 months" under migration law.

• Below-minimum component score — overall score meets the threshold but one or more components fall short. Every component must meet its individual minimum. A high Speaking score does not compensate for a low Writing score.

• Online or at-home test — any result from a remote-proctored sitting is rejected, regardless of score. This applies even when the test provider offers the same test name in both formats.

• TOEFL not registered under "Taking TOEFL for Australia" — results without this registration pathway are ineligible for Australian visa purposes, even if scores meet the minimum.

• OSR or SSR lodged before completion — the retake must be finalised before your application is submitted. Lodging with an OSR in progress invalidates the English evidence.

• C1 Advanced taken on or after 7 August 2025 — this test is no longer accepted for sittings from that date. Results from before 7 August 2025 under the old thresholds may still apply within the validity window.

• Wrong validity assumption — some applicants assume the 3-year window that applied before March 2024 still applies. The 485 visa now requires a result from within 12 months of lodgement.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum IELTS score for the 485 visa in 2026?

For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, you need an overall band of 6.5 with no individual component below 5.5 in Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Meeting the overall score alone is not enough — each component must individually meet 5.5. BNO and Hong Kong passport holders need 6.0 overall with 5.0 in each component.

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What is the minimum PTE score for the 485 visa?

For the new PTE Academic format (tests taken on or after 7 August 2025), the minimum component scores are: Listening 40, Reading 42, Writing 41, Speaking 39. These are higher than the pre-August 2025 thresholds. The test name is the same but the format and score scale changed.

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Can I use IELTS General Training instead of IELTS Academic?

Yes. Both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are accepted for the 485 visa, and both require the same minimum scores. Choose whichever version you are more likely to perform well in.

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Can I use an online English test for the 485 visa?

No. All online, remote-proctored, and at-home formats are rejected by the Department of Home Affairs. This includes IELTS Online, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, OET@Home, CELPIP Online, MET Digital, and LANGUAGECERT Academic Online. Your test must be taken at an in-person, secure test centre.

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How long is my English test valid for the 485 visa?

For the 485 visa, your test result must come from a sitting within 12 months of the date you lodge your application. The result must still be valid on your lodgement date. A result that expires even one day before lodgement is rejected.

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Who is exempt from the English requirement?

Citizens holding a valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America do not need to submit an English test result for the 485 visa.

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Do I need a new English test if I am applying for a second 485 visa?

Generally no, if you are applying in the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream and your English was assessed when your first 485 was granted. The Department does not require a new test in this case. If you are switching to a different stream, the standard English requirement applies.

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Is IELTS One Skill Retake accepted for the 485 visa?

Yes. The Department accepts IELTS results that include the OSR for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). The OSR must be completed and finalised before you lodge your application — you cannot lodge with a pending retake.

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Get Your English Evidence Checked Before You Lodge

An expired result, a below-minimum component, or a disqualified test format are each sufficient grounds for a refusal — and at the current application fee of AUD 4,600, a preventable refusal is expensive. RACC's registered migration agents check your English evidence as part of document review before lodgement, so these issues are caught before they reach the Department.

Book a free consultation

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This page is based on Department of Home Affairs official guidance, including the Competent English requirements page at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au and the applicable legislative instruments (LIN 25/089 and predecessors). Visa requirements can change. Always confirm current requirements directly with the Department or a registered migration agent before lodging.