South Australia's English rules by stream
The onshore stream pages (skilled employment in South Australia, South Australian graduates and outer regional skilled employment) each say you need at least Competent English, shown by an approved test or a valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States. Passport holders who want to claim a higher English level in their EOI must show an approved test score. Each also needs 65 points including state nomination points.
Offshore candidates do not lodge an ROI; South Australia invites them from SkillSelect if South Australia is their first preference, and assesses them on English language proficiency, years and field of skilled employment, skills and qualifications, and EOI points (moving from overseas). The offshore page also asks for 3 years of skilled work experience in the last 5 years. Its trades section adds that passport holders may still want to sit a test, because higher English may make an application more competitive.
| Stream | English minimum | English in ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled employment in South Australia (onshore) | Competent | Yes, listed as a selection factor |
| South Australian graduates (onshore) | Competent | Yes |
| Outer regional skilled employment (onshore) | Competent | Yes |
| Moving to South Australia from overseas (offshore) | Visa minimum (Competent) | Yes, assessed on merit |
Competent, Proficient and Superior English in IELTS and PTE
Home Affairs sets each level per skill, not as one overall score, and a state can only use these levels. Sources: Competent, Proficient and Superior English pages. On the 190 and 491 points tests Competent earns 0 points, Proficient 10 and Superior 20. 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, but needs a test score to claim Proficient or Superior.
South Australian nomination gives 5 extra points for the 190 (190 page) and 15 for the 491 (491 page). South Australia publishes no points scale of its own; English counts through its merit ranking and through the 10 or 20 Home Affairs points for Proficient or Superior.
| Test (listening / reading / writing / speaking) | Competent | Proficient | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic or General Training | 6 / 6 / 6 / 6 | 7 / 7 / 7 / 7 | 8 / 8 / 8 / 8 |
| PTE Academic | 47 / 48 / 51 / 54 | 58 / 59 / 69 / 76 | 69 / 70 / 85 / 88 |
| TOEFL iBT | 16 / 16 / 19 / 19 | 22 / 22 / 26 / 24 | 26 / 27 / 30 / 28 |
| OET | 290 / 310 / 290 / 330 | 350 / 360 / 380 / 360 | 390 / 400 / 420 / 400 |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced | 163 / 163 / 170 / 179 | 175 / 179 / 193 / 194 | 186 / 190 / 210 / 208 |
| LanguageCert Academic | 57 / 60 / 64 / 70 | 67 / 71 / 78 / 82 | 80 / 83 / 89 / 89 |
| CELPIP General | 7 / 7 / 7 / 7 | 9 / 8 / 10 / 8 | 10 / 10 / 12 / 10 |
| Michigan English Test (MET) | 56 / 55 / 57 / 48 | 61 / 63 / 74 / 59 | Not listed |
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South Australia programme status (read 14 October 2026)
For 2025-26 South Australia was allocated 1,350 places for the 190 and 900 for the 491 (announcement of 24 November 2025). ROIs for that year closed at 9am on Tuesday 2 June 2026 and the last formal invitation round was on 21 May 2026 (closure notice). The notice says Skilled and Business Migration will resume accepting ROIs when the 2026-27 programme commences; the news page showed no 2026-27 opening announcement on 14 October 2026.
State programmes change between and during programme years, often at short notice. Check the Migration SA skilled migrants pages before you book a test or lodge an Expression of Interest. This guide restates official pages read on 14 October 2026; it is not migration advice.
Frequently asked questions
What IELTS score is needed for South Australia 190?+
At least Competent English, IELTS 6 in each skill, unless you hold a UK, Irish, US, Canadian or New Zealand passport. English proficiency is also a ranking factor, so a higher score helps.
Does South Australia accept PTE?+
Yes, any Home Affairs approved test. For tests from 7 August 2025, Competent English is PTE Academic 47 / 48 / 51 / 54 (listening / reading / writing / speaking).
How many points does South Australia nomination give?+
5 points for the subclass 190 and 15 points for the subclass 491 on the Home Affairs points test.
Is South Australia's 2026-27 program open?+
ROIs for 2025-26 closed on 2 June 2026. On 14 October 2026 the Migration SA news page had no 2026-27 opening announcement; the closure notice said ROIs resume when the new programme commences.
Do UK passport holders need an English test for South Australia?+
Not to meet Competent English. To claim Proficient or Superior English in an EOI they need an approved test score.
Keep reading
Related
- IELTS for the 189, 190 and 491 visas
- PTE to IELTS score converter
- IELTS for Australia: scores by university and visa
- IELTS for Western Australia nomination
- IELTS for Queensland nomination
- All 1393 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 14 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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