If you’re a nurse planning to migrate to Australia in 2025, your English test score is
non-negotiable. Recent updates mean the bar has shifted — and misunderstanding these changes could cost you your visa.

Whether you’re aiming for employer-sponsorship or a points-based skilled visa, you must meet specific English test requirements to even be eligible. Many nurses also mistakenly believe they’re exempt — but in most cases, that's not true.

Let’s break down the current rules, expose the common myths, and help you understand which test scores you need for your pathway — including for your partner or adult children.

🧪 You Are Not Exempt: The Truth About English Testing for Nurses

Let’s bust some big myths straight away:

• ❌ Studying or working in an English-speaking country does not exempt you from meeting English language requirements for migration.

• ❌ You still need to sit an English unless you hold a passport from the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, or New Zealand.

• ✅ Even if you’re a UK-registered nurse or trained in English, you still need to prove your English unless exempt by passport.

🧑‍⚖️ English requirements are set by immigration law not by AHPRA. Holding AHPRA registration is not enough to meet visa eligibility.

🟦 The Four English Language Levels That Matter for Visas

Australia’s immigration system now uses four key English levels:

1. Competent English – the legal minimum requirement for eligibility on most skilled and employer-sponsored visas.

2. Proficient English – required to earn 10 migration points (essential for nurses in skilled nomination schemes).

3. Superior English – gives 20 points and may improve nomination chances.

4. Functional English – required for partners and adult dependants to avoid a hefty fee.

✅ Competent English – Required for Visa Eligibility

This is not optional. You must meet Competent English to be eligible for the following visas:

• 🏥 Employer-sponsored visas: Subclass 482, 494 and 186

• 🛫 Skilled visas: subclass 189, 190, and 491

⚠️ Nurses who do not meet Competent English cannot apply for these visas — even if they have a job offer.

However, Competent English gives you 0 points for skilled migration. That means state nomination is highly unlikely, even if you are technically eligible.

2025 Competent English Test Scores:

IELTS

• 6.0 in each band

PTE Academic

• L: 47, R: 48, W: 51, S: 54

OET

• L: 290, R: 310, W: 290, S: 330

CELPIP General

• 7 in each component

LanguageCert

• L: 57, R: 60, W: 64, S: 70

MET

• L: 56, R: 55, W: 57, S: 48

C1 Advanced

• L: 163, R: 163, W: 170, S: 179

🟨 Proficient English – The Real Minimum for Skilled Migration Success

Proficient English earns you 10 points toward your skilled migration score. Without itk many nurses are not competitive for state nomination.

This is especially important if you’re applying for a:

• Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa

• Subclass 190 State Nominated visa

• Subclass 491 Regional Nominated visa

Even though Competent English is the legal minimum, it’s Proficient English that realistically opens the door to skilled migration success.

2025 Proficient English Test Scores:

IELTS

• 7.0 in each band

PTE Academic

• L: 58, R: 59, W: 69, S: 76

OET

• L: 350, R: 360, W: 380, S: 360

CELPIP General

• L: 9, R: 8, W: 10, S: 8

LanguageCert

• L: 67, R: 71, W: 78, S: 82

MET

• L: 61, R: 63, W: 74, S: 59

C1 Advanced

• L: 175, R: 179, W: 193, S: 194

🟧 Superior English – Boost Your Score by 20 Points

Superior English is the highest recognised level and gives you 20 points toward your skilled visa. This can make a major difference if you’re close to the cutoff or want to be prioritised for nomination.

2025 Superior English Test Scores:

IELTS

• 8.0 in each band

PTE Academic

• L: 69, R: 70, W: 85, S: 88

OET

• L: 390, R: 400, W: 420, S: 400

CELPIP General

• 10 in each component

LanguageCert

• L: 80, R: 83, W: 89, S: 89

MET

• L: 76, R: 77, W: 83, S: 78

C1 Advanced

• L: 186, R: 190, W: 210, S: 208

🚫 Even Exempt Passports Don’t Earn Points

If you hold a passport from an exempt English-speaking country (United Kingdom, Ireland, USA, Canada, or New Zealand), you don’t need to sit an English test for visa eligibility.

But there’s a catch.

🧠 You get 0 points for English on skilled migration unless you sit and pass an approved test at the required level.

Even nurses from exempt countries should consider taking a test if they want to be competitive for skilled visas.

🔴 Functional English – What Your Partner Needs

If you're including your spouse or adult children, they must show Functional English to avoid paying the second instalment visa charge—a fee of over $4,000 AUD per person.

2025 Functional English Scores:

IELTS (General or Academic)

• Overall 4.5

PTE Academic

• Overall 24

OET

• Overall 1020

TOEFL iBT

• Overall 26

CELPIP General

• Overall 5

LanguageCert

• Overall 38

MET

• Overall 38

📌 Tests must be completed in person — home-based versions aren’t accepted.

🧠 Summary: What Nurses Must Know

• ✅ All nurses must meet Competent English requirements at a minimum to be eligible for skilled and employer-sponsored visas.

• 🧪 You are not exempt unless you have a UK, US, Canada, NZ or Irish passport.

• 🔢 You get 0 points if you don’t sit a test — even with an exempt passport.

• 🚫 Work experience or tertiary education in English doesn’t meet migration rules.

• 👫 Partners and adult dependants need Functional English to avoid additional visa charges.

🎓 Need Help?

At SOLVi Migration, we’re not just here to help you tick boxes — we’re an Australian immigration law firm that specialises in helping internationally qualified nurses build the right pathway to live and work in Australia long-term.

✅ We help you plan your AHPRA registration and your visa pathway side-by-side

✅ We give legal advice so you avoid costly mistakes

✅ We assess your full situation — including family, work history, and goals.