ออสเตรเลียยอมรับการทดสอบภาษาอังกฤษใดบ้าง และผลสอบใช้ได้นานเท่าไร

English test results are not open-ended. For many Australian visa processes, the Department only accepts certain tests, and only if the result is still within its validity period when it is used. The approved test list changed on 7 August 2025, so older articles and forum posts can be out of date.

The score that counts as functional, vocational, competent, proficient or superior English depends on the visa framework involved. Booking the first available test before checking which test and score level apply can mean paying twice, waiting again and missing a deadline.

The approved English tests changed on 7 August 2025#

From 7 August 2025, Australia accepts these English language tests for migration purposes:

• International English Language Testing System, IELTS
• Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test, TOEFL iBT
• Pearson Test of English Academic, PTE Academic
• Occupational English Test, OET
• Cambridge C1 Advanced test, CAE
• LanguageCert Academic

That list matters because the Department does not simply accept any English certificate. A result from a test outside the approved list may not be usable for a visa criterion, an invitation points claim or an English-language related charge or exemption.

The exact way a result is used depends on the visa framework. In some cases, a person needs to show a minimum level of English. In others, the result is used to claim points, satisfy a concession, or avoid an additional government charge. The same test result can be enough for one purpose and not enough for another.

This is also why old migration content can mislead. If an article was written before 7 August 2025, it may list a different set of accepted tests, or miss LanguageCert Academic altogether. The safest approach is to check the current Department material and the current legislative instrument that applies to the visa process being used.

Results do not last forever#

English test results have a validity period. A result can be perfectly genuine and still be unusable if it is too old at the time the Department needs it.

The key point is not just the test date. The important question is when the result must be valid. Depending on the visa process, that might be at time of application, at time of invitation, at time of decision, or at another defined point in the legislation or policy settings for that visa framework.

That timing issue catches people out. A person might sit a test early, then spend months collecting documents, waiting for a skills assessment, waiting for a nomination outcome, or waiting to be invited. By the time the visa is lodged or decided, the result can be close to expiry or already expired.

This is one reason to avoid booking too early. Tests are not cheap, and retaking one means another booking fee, another preparation period and often another delay. If the process also involves police checks, health examinations or skills assessments, timing becomes even more important because several documents can have different validity windows.

The score needed depends on the visa process#

There is no single pass mark for “an Australian visa”. Different migration settings use different English levels and different score tables.

Common labels include:

• functional English
• vocational English
• competent English
• proficient English
• superior English

Those labels are not interchangeable. Each one can map to different minimum scores across the approved tests. For example, the score needed to show competent English is not the same as the score needed to claim points for superior English.

The same applies across visa families. Skilled migration settings often use English for threshold criteria and points claims. Employer-sponsored frameworks may use English for eligibility criteria or exemptions. Partner and some family settings can use English results in a very different way, including for charge-related purposes. Student and temporary graduate settings can have their own separate English evidence rules.

Because of that, booking a test without first checking the exact English level required can waste money. A person might sit an easier test date aiming for a modest score, then later realise the process they are pursuing uses a higher threshold or a different score profile. Another person might overpay for repeat testing to chase a score level that is not actually needed for the process they end up using.

The practical point is simple: first identify the visa framework and the English level relevant to that framework, then compare the approved tests and the score table that matches it. If professional help is needed to understand the process, only a registered migration agent or Australian legal practitioner can give immigration assistance in Australia, under s280 of the Migration Act 1958.

Why booking too early can cost more than the test fee#

An English test fee is only part of the cost. The bigger cost can be the chain reaction from using the wrong test, the wrong timing or the wrong target score.

A result that expires before it can be used may force a retest. A score that is too low for the visa setting being used may force a retest. A test that is approved in general but not accepted for the purpose being claimed under a particular framework can create the same problem.

That can affect more than money. It can delay an Expression of Interest, postpone a nomination application, push out a visa lodgement date or leave less time before another document expires. In time-sensitive matters, the extra weeks can matter more than the test fee itself.

Professional fees can also increase if work needs to be repeated because a result expires or a points claim has to be revised. Registered migration agents must explain fees in a written agreement and set out the fee structure clearly under ss42 and 46 of the Migration Agents Code of Conduct 2021. If a person is comparing quotes, VisaBid’s เครื่องประเมินค่าใช้จ่าย and the option to อธิบายกรณีของคุณและรับใบเสนอราคา can help with the market side of the process.

How to check whether a test result is usable#

Start with the current Department page for the visa or migration process involved. Look for the part that deals with English language, and then check which level of English is relevant and which tests are accepted for that purpose.

Next, check the score table for that level. The Department and legislative instruments often set out equivalent scores across different tests, not just a general statement that English is required. A person can meet one band and miss another, so the exact table matters.

Then check the validity period and the point in time when the result must still be valid. This step is easy to miss, especially where there is a long lead time between sitting the test and taking the migration step that uses it.

Finally, check whether a representative is properly registered before relying on paid guidance. A migration agent must hold a current MARN, and advertising must include it under s25 of the Code. VisaBid’s registration checker และ consumer guide explain what to look for, including the written agreement, invoices and receipts required by ss42, 49 and 51 of the Code.

Using an agent or lawyer for English test issues#

A migration agent or Australian legal practitioner can explain how an English result fits into a migration process. VisaBid cannot do that for a person’s case. This guide is general information only about how the process works.

If a representative is appointed, that is usually recorded with Form 956 under s312A of the Migration Act 1958. The representative’s role, fees and services should be set out in writing before money is taken, with the consumer guide provided first under s38 and no money before the agreement under s51 of the Code.

Be careful with anyone who promises that a certain test, score or strategy will lead to approval. The Code prohibits guarantees about outcomes, see s26. False score reports, altered certificates and incorrect claims about English results can also create serious problems under ss234 and 245AR of the Migration Act, and in some cases Public Interest Criterion 4020 can become relevant.

คำถามที่พบบ่อย#

Which English tests does Australia accept after 7 August 2025?#

From 7 August 2025, the approved list is IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, OET, Cambridge C1 Advanced and LanguageCert Academic. The Department uses approved tests for specific migration purposes, so it is important to check the current visa framework and score table, not just the test name.

How long are English test results valid for Australian visas?#

English test results have a validity period, but the result must also be valid at the point in the process that matters for that visa framework. That can be at application, invitation, decision or another legally relevant time, so the timing rule needs to be checked carefully.

Can I book any English test first and decide the visa later?#

That can be risky because the score needed differs by visa framework and by the purpose the result is being used for. Booking first can lead to a result that is too old, too low or not the right test for the later process, which can mean paying for another test.

Does the same English score work for every Australian visa?#

No. Different migration settings use different English levels such as functional, vocational, competent, proficient and superior English. Those levels have different score equivalents across the approved tests, so the required result depends on the specific visa process involved.

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เกี่ยวกับคู่มือนี้ นี่คือข้อมูลทั่วไปเกี่ยวกับวิธีที่กระบวนการหนึ่งทำงานใน Australia ไม่ใช่ความช่วยเหลือด้านตรวจคนเข้าเมือง และไม่ใช่คำแนะนำเกี่ยวกับสถานการณ์ของคุณ ภายใต้มาตรา 280 ของ Migration Act 1958 มีเพียงตัวแทนการย้ายถิ่นที่ขึ้นทะเบียนไว้หรือผู้ประกอบวิชาชีพกฎหมายของออสเตรเลียเท่านั้นที่ให้ข้อมูลนั้นแก่คุณได้ ค่าธรรมเนียมของรัฐบาลมีการปรับตามดัชนีและส่วนใหญ่เปลี่ยนในวันที่ 1 July ดังนั้นโปรดตรวจสอบตัวเลขใด ๆ ที่ immi.homeaffairs.gov.au, และตรวจสอบตัวแทนใด ๆ ได้ที่ ทะเบียน OMARA.