The 485 English rule
The Post-Higher Education Work stream and the Post-Vocational Education Work stream pages set the same requirement. Either you are a citizen holding a valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States, or you scored one of the results below in the 12 months immediately before the day you apply. You must attach the evidence when you lodge.
IELTS results that include One Skill Retake and MET results that include Single Section Retake are accepted for the 485, but any retake must be completed before you lodge. OET does not print an overall score, so you must contact OET for it and include it in your application.
Minimum scores for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025
Cambridge C1 Advanced is not accepted for tests from this date.
| Test | Overall | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| IELTS General Training | 6.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| PTE Academic | 55 | 40 | 42 | 41 | 39 |
| TOEFL iBT | 81 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 17 |
| OET | 1310 | 260 | 280 | 260 | 310 |
| LanguageCert Academic | 67 | 49 | 54 | 56 | 62 |
| Michigan English Test (MET) | 58 | 53 | 51 | 51 | 43 |
| CELPIP General | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Know your target? Check where you stand
Take a free AI-scored IELTS mock and see your score per skill before you book the real test. Free account, no card.
Take a free scored IELTS mock →Older tests and Hong Kong or BNO passport holders
For tests on or before 6 August 2025: IELTS 6.5 overall with 5.5 in each skill; PTE Academic 57 overall with 43 listening, 48 reading, 51 writing and 42 speaking; TOEFL iBT 83 overall with 7, 8, 18 and 16; Cambridge C1 Advanced 176 overall with 162 in each; OET B in each. Because the 485 uses a 12-month window, check the test date against your lodgement day before relying on an older result.
Holders of Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passports have a lower table. For tests from 7 August 2025 that is IELTS 6 overall with 5 in each skill, PTE Academic 47 overall with 33 listening, 36 reading, 29 writing and 24 speaking, and TOEFL iBT 67 overall with 8, 8, 9 and 14.
Home Affairs changes these rules, sometimes at short notice. Confirm the current scores on the Home Affairs 485 Post-Higher Education Work page before you book a test or lodge an application. This guide restates the department's pages; it is not migration advice.
Frequently asked questions
What IELTS score is needed for the 485 visa?+
6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking, Academic or General Training.
Is PTE accepted for the 485 visa?+
Yes. For tests from 7 August 2025, PTE Academic needs 55 overall with 40 listening, 42 reading, 41 writing and 39 speaking.
How long is the result valid for the 485?+
The test must be in the 12 months immediately before the day you apply, not the 3 years used for skilled visas.
Is a passport holder from the UK exempt?+
Yes. Citizens holding a valid UK, US, Canadian, New Zealand or Irish passport meet the requirement without a test.
Can I use IELTS One Skill Retake for the 485?+
Yes, as long as the retake is completed before you lodge the application.
Keep reading
Related
- IELTS for the Student visa 500
- IELTS One Skill Retake explained
- PTE to IELTS score converter
- Free PTE mock test with AI scoring
- All 711 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 30 September 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy