At-home or online tests
Some test providers offer alternative versions of their tests that you can take at home or online, such as TOEFL iBT – Home Edition, OET@Home, PTE Academic Online, IELTS Online (General and Academic) and IELTS Indicator. Home Affairs does not accept any ’at-home’ or ‘online’ test for Australian migration purposes.
The Department accepts scores from approved tests undertaken at secure test centres. The tests accepted by the Department are listed in the table below. If you have questions about a particular test, you can contact the test provider.
What to provide
To prove you have competent English, provide evidence of one of the following:
- That you are a citizen of and hold a valid passport issued by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland, with your application. British National (Overseas) passports are not acceptable as evidence of competent English.
- You have an obtained one of the following English language test results:
When to provide proof
When you must have taken your test and when to provide it
| Subclass | Applicant | When to provide |
Validity |
|---|
| Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) | Main/primary | By time of application | Test cannot have been undertaken more than 3 years before the date of application |
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) – Temporary Residence Transition Stream
| Main/primary | By time of application | Test cannot have been undertaken more than 3 years before the date of application |
| Business Innovation and Investment (provisional) subclass 188) (Entrepreneur stream) | Main/primary
| By time of invitation | Test cannot have been undertaken more than 3 years before the date of invitation |
| Skilled Independent (subclass 189)(Points tested stream) | Main/primary
| By time of invitation | Test cannot have been undertaken more than 3 years before the date of invitation |
| Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) | Main/primary
| By time of invitation | Test cannot have been undertaken more than 3 years before the date of invitation |
| Skilled Regional (provisional) (subclass 489)(first provisional stream) | Main/primary
| By time of invitation | Test cannot have been undertaken more than 3 years before the date of invitation
|
Skilled Work Regional (provisional) (subclass 491)
| Main/primary
| By time of invitation
| Test cannot have been undertaken more than 3 years before the date of invitation
|
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494)
| Main/Primary
| By time of application
| The test cannot have been undertaken more than 3 years before the date of application
|
For the subclasses 189, 190, 489 and 491, if you are claiming partner points, your partner must also have competent English at the time of invitation.
