What IELTS score do you need for the 189, 190 and 491 visas?

Each cell shows the minimum for listening / reading / writing / speaking. Sources: Competent, Proficient and Superior English pages. For TOEFL iBT you must select 'Taking TOEFL for Australia' when you register, or the result is not eligible. The Superior English page lists no Michigan English Test score.

The 189 points table awards 0 points for Competent English, 10 for Proficient and 20 for Superior. The 190 and 491 pages send you to the department's points calculator. Each level page says the score must be achieved in the 3 years before your visa application, depending on the visa subclass.

Tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 use the old tables and may be used until 6 August 2028, inclusive, depending on the visa. The old minimums were IELTS 6 / 7 / 8 in each skill and PTE Academic 50 / 65 / 79 in each skill for Competent / Proficient / Superior. OET used grades (B for Competent and Proficient, A for Superior). If you are still choosing between the two tests, our PTE vs IELTS for Australia PR guide compares them.

A citizen holding a valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States meets Competent English without a test (Competent English). The Proficient and Superior pages list only test scores, so a passport alone does not earn the 10 or 20 points.

Your partner's English also counts. The 189 points table gives 10 points if your partner applies with you, is under 45, has competent English and a suitable skills assessment in an occupation on the same list, or 5 points if your partner applies with you and has competent English. Any family member aged 18 or over who does not have functional English means a second instalment charge: AUD4,885 on the 189 and 190 pages, AUD4,890 on the 491 page. See our Functional English guide.

Home Affairs changes these rules, sometimes at short notice. Confirm the current scores on the Home Affairs English language page before you book a test or lodge an application. This guide restates the department's pages; it is not migration advice.