For Australian visa English evidence, compare the required score in every skill—not just an overall IELTS band or PTE score. Home Affairs lists PTE Academic, IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training in its English-level tables. Your visa subclass determines which level and evidence rules apply.
Official sources checked: 20 September 2026. This page compares English thresholds and helps you identify a practice target. It does not assess your eligibility for permanent residence.
Current IELTS and PTE thresholds
The following PTE Academic thresholds apply to tests taken from 7 August 2025. IELTS requirements below apply to both Academic and General Training in the linked Home Affairs tables. Each component must meet its listed minimum.
Competent English
- IELTS: Listening 6, Reading 6, Writing 6, Speaking 6.
- PTE Academic: Listening 47, Reading 48, Writing 51, Speaking 54.
Check the official Competent English requirements, including any alternative evidence that applies to your circumstances.
Proficient English
- IELTS: Listening 7, Reading 7, Writing 7, Speaking 7.
- PTE Academic: Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69, Speaking 76.
Source: Home Affairs Proficient English.
Superior English
- IELTS: Listening 8, Reading 8, Writing 8, Speaking 8.
- PTE Academic: Listening 69, Reading 70, Writing 85, Speaking 88.
Source: Home Affairs Superior English. Meeting these English scores alone does not establish visa eligibility or guarantee an invitation.
Why an overall conversion chart can mislead you
An IELTS/PTE concordance chart compares test performance. A visa requirement specifies acceptable evidence. They serve different purposes. An overall PTE score cannot tell you whether Writing and Speaking meet their separate requirements.
For example, “79 each” is an older PTE Superior English threshold, not the current target for a new test. For tests on or before 6 August 2025, the official tables list PTE 50 each for Competent, 65 each for Proficient and 79 each for Superior. Older results have visa-dependent validity rules; do not assume an old result is still usable solely because its scores meet the earlier table. Our PTE PR score and test-date guide explains the distinction.
Try a two-report score check
Original fictional exercise: two learners are checking Proficient English thresholds. Both tested in September 2026. Learner A has IELTS Listening 8, Reading 7.5, Writing 6.5 and Speaking 7. Learner B has PTE Listening 62, Reading 60, Writing 71 and Speaking 75. Which report meets all four thresholds?
Reveal the score-check answer
Neither report meets all four Proficient thresholds. Learner A's IELTS Writing 6.5 is below 7. Learner B's PTE Speaking 75 is below 76. Higher scores elsewhere cannot compensate. This checks only the listed English scores, not any person's visa eligibility.
Your practice task: write one sentence explaining each shortfall. Then identify the first skill you would investigate in a diagnostic session. Avoid saying a learner must improve “overall” when the evidence identifies a particular component.
Check the product and evidence before booking
Use PTE Academic for the PTE thresholds on this page; do not substitute PTE Core. Verify the test date, required English level, validity period and submission rules on your visa page. Home Affairs does not accept completely online, remotely proctored tests for Australian visa purposes. IELTS One Skill Retake acceptance depends on the visa; confirm it before relying on a retake.
If another organisation will also use your result, check its requirements separately. IELTS Academic and General Training being listed for English evidence does not mean a university or professional regulator accepts both for its own purpose.
Turn the missing skill into a practice session
Copy your confirmed target and latest diagnostic result for each component into a study note. Pick one observable weakness from your response—not just a score—and work on that weakness before trying a fresh timed task. Repeated practice evidence is more useful than assuming one estimated result guarantees readiness.
For the IELTS example, inspect whether the written answer addresses every part of the task and develops its ideas clearly. For the PTE example, listen for rushed delivery, pauses that interrupt meaning and incomplete responses. These are investigation prompts, not a diagnosis from the score alone.
Start IELTS General Writing practice or start PTE Academic Speaking practice. BandLadder offers 30k+ IELTS questions and 25k+ PTE questions across Academic and Core, with AI feedback, mock-test and prediction resources. Access depends on free allowances and your plan; check current plans. Practice feedback is an estimate, not an official test result.
Still deciding between formats? Read our PTE-versus-IELTS format and preparation checklist.
