Hello Telugu Community People,here is an update about visa.Starting from March 23, 2024, student visa applicants and temporary graduate visa applicants will face tougher English language testing requirements, as announced by the Minister of Home Affairs.
New English Language Thresholds for Student Visas
- Effective Date: Changes start on March 23, 2024, aligning with the shift from a genuine temporary entrant (GTE) to a genuine student requirement.
- IELTS Requirements:
- Minimum 5.0 for a principal course plus 20 weeks of ELICOS.
- Minimum 5.5 for a principal course plus 10 weeks of ELICOS, foundation, or pathway programs.
- Minimum 6.0 for all other courses, unless exempt.
- Other Tests Equivalents:
- Cambridge English Advanced (CAE)
- Occupational English Test (OET)
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE)
- TOEFL iBT
- Clarity Issue: Only IELTS and OET specify exact requirements. Other tests’ score criteria are not explicitly mentioned as overall or component-wise.
- Certificate Validity: English test certificates remain valid for two years.
- Exemptions: Include citizens of certain English-speaking countries, specific academic achievements, and certain visa categories.
- New Student Visa Requirements: Apply only to new applications from March 23, 2024.
Ministerial Directions and Visa Application Updates
- Ministerial Directions: Two directions will be in place for assessing the genuine student requirement.
- ImmiAccount Maintenance: Scheduled maintenance on March 22, 2024, to update student visa application forms with more targeted questions.
Increased English Requirements for Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate Visas
- Test Score Requirements:
- CAE: 162 per component, 176 overall
- IELTS: 5.5 per component, 6.5 overall
- OET: B for each component
- PTE: 43 listening, 48 reading, 42 speaking, 51 writing, 57 overall
- TOEFL iBT: 7 listening, 8 reading, 16 speaking, 18 writing, 83 overall
- Application Validity: New scores apply to applications lodged from March 23, 2024.
- One Year Validity: Unlike the previous three-year period, test scores must now be achieved within one year before applying.
These points summarize the new English language requirements for student and temporary graduate visas in Australia, effective March 23, 2024.