Is PTE Core accepted in Australia or New Zealand?

For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, Home Affairs accepts scores from C1 Advanced, CELPIP General, IELTS Academic and General Training (with One Skill Retake), LANGUAGECERT Academic, the Michigan English Test, OET, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT, each taken at a secure test centre (Home Affairs). PTE Core is not on the list. The Canadian test that did make the list is CELPIP General, which surprises some candidates. Fully online or at-home tests are not accepted either.

The list covers Australian visa purposes in general, so the answer is the same for a skilled visa (189, 190 or 491), a student visa or a partner visa: book PTE Academic. Since 7 August 2025, Home Affairs sets PTE Academic minimums for each skill (Competent, Proficient, Superior):

Because PTE Core is not an accepted test, a Core score cannot show Competent, Proficient or Superior English, however high it is, so it cannot help with English points for PR. What counts is your PTE Academic score against the per-skill minimums above: every skill must reach the level, not just the overall.

Enter your four PTE Academic scores in our PTE points calculator for Australian PR to see your level and the gap per skill, or read what PTE Superior English takes. PTE Academic taken on or before 6 August 2025 has different score requirements; Home Affairs says those results can be used until 6 August 2028 at the latest, depending on the visa.

INZ's approved tests for skilled residence, the Accredited Employer Work Visa and residence from work visas are the same seven: IELTS General or Academic, IELTS One Skill Retake, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, B2 First, B2 First for Schools and OET (INZ). PTE Core is not among them. You must sit the test in person at a test centre, the result must be no more than two years old when you apply, and at-home tests are not acceptable.

For a Fee Paying Student Visa, INZ sets no test score; your education provider must be satisfied you have the English to pass the course (INZ). The providers follow NZQA's rules, whose table names only PTE Academic among Pearson tests, taken at a PTE test centre with all scores from one score report (NZQA).

Planning around New Zealand? See PTE vs IELTS for New Zealand and our PTE for New Zealand overview.

Pearson's PTE Core FAQ says Core does not replace PTE Academic and is only suitable for work and migration routes to Canada. It tells you to choose PTE Academic if you plan to study anywhere, or to work in or migrate to Australia, New Zealand or the UK. The PTE Core page says Core is accepted for IRCC economic immigration programmes and citizenship, and that Canadian university study needs PTE Academic.

The two tests share a name, a 10–90 scale, a two-hour length and the same booking site, so it is easy to pick the wrong one. Core uses everyday material and has fewer task types; see PTE Academic vs PTE Core for the full comparison.

On 14 October 2026, the country data behind Pearson's test centres and fees finder priced PTE Academic and PTE Core the same: AUD 499 in Australia and NZD 505 in New Zealand. Choosing Core saves you nothing, and an unaccepted score means paying again. If you booked Core by mistake, check Pearson's cancellation and rescheduling rules in myPTE straight away.

Practise for the test you will actually sit: our free PTE Academic mock test is timed and scored 10–90. If your goal really is Canada, use the PTE Core practice test instead.