Do you need IELTS for the 858 National Innovation (Global Talent) visa?

Under 'Have functional English' the page says applicants aged 18 and older at the time of application must provide evidence of at least functional English; anyone who does not must pay a second instalment of the visa application charge. You can choose to pay the instalment instead of showing evidence by telling Home Affairs through ImmiAccount. The charge is AUD4,890 per person, requested only if the visa is going to be granted.

Functional English can also be shown with a passport from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States or qualifying study in English (Functional English page). Test results must come from the 12 months before you apply.

The visa pricing table lists AUD6,235 for the main applicant, AUD3,120 for each additional applicant 18 and over and AUD1,560 for each under 18, plus the AUD4,890 second instalment for each applicant 18 or over assessed as not having functional English. For the full Functional English rules see our Functional English guide.

Confirm current rules on the 858 page before you book a test. This guide restates Home Affairs pages read on 14 October 2026; it is not migration advice.