Functional English Language Requirements

Functional English is the most basic level of English proficiency required for some Australian visas. It demonstrates the ability to understand and communicate in everyday situations. Functional English is assessed through recognized language tests or evidence of education in English-speaking institutions. Below are the visas where functional English is relevant:

Family and Partner Visas

Partner Visas (Subclass 820/801 and 309/100): Applicants or sponsors may need to demonstrate functional English to avoid paying an additional second visa application charge.
Parent Visas (e.g., Subclass 143, 173): Functional English may be required to reduce additional visa application costs.

Skilled Migration and Employer-Sponsored Visas

Skilled Migration Visas: Functional English may be required for dependent applicants included in the visa application.
Employer-Sponsored Visas: Some dependent family members of applicants may need to meet functional English requirements.

Business and Investor Visas

- Business Innovation and Investment Visa (Subclass 188): Applicants or their family members may need to demonstrate functional English or pay an additional charge.

FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH

Functional English – Approved Tests (taken on or before 6 August 2025)

In the 12 months before you applied for the visa, you must have scored one of the following:

Test	Scores	Notes
CAE Cambridge C1 Advanced (C1 Advanced)	Total band score ≥ 147	Only paper-based accepted 12 Feb 2024 – 6 Aug 2025. Pre–12 Feb 2024 results still valid (paper & computer)
IELTS Academic or General Training IELTS	Average band score ≥ 4.5	One Skill Retake (OSR) accepted for eligible visas
PTA Academic (old version)	Total band score ≥ 30	Different from version available after 7 Aug 2025
TOEFL iBT	Total band score ≥ 32	Not valid for visas 26 Jul 2023 – 4 May 2024

* Tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 can be used as evidence of English proficiency until 6 August 2026 (depending on visa subclass). Some visas may allow other forms of evidence—check the relevant visa pages.

Functional English may be substituted by:

Hold a valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, UK, or USA (Note: British National (Overseas) passports are not accepted)
Completed at least 2 years full-time study for a degree, higher degree, diploma, or trade certificate, where all instruction was in English
Completed at least 3 years of primary and/or secondary education in English (inside or outside Australia)
Completed at least 5 years of secondary education in English (inside or outside Australia)
Completed at least 1 year of full-time study in Australia (all instruction in English) towards:
a degree
a higher degree
a diploma
an associate qualification

Online test restrictions

The department does not accept evidence from English language tests that are delivered completely online (also known as ‘remote-proctored’ or ‘at-home’).

Examples of online tests that we do not accept for Australian visa purposes include: