Understanding The English Language Requirements for Australia’s 485 Visa

You’ve finished your Australian qualification, your employer wants you to start ASAP… then you realise your English test is out of date (or you booked the wrong test type). At Stepping Stones Career Solutions, this is one of the most common “last-minute” issues we fix for 485 applicants.

To meet the 485 visa English requirements, you usually need an approved English test result within 12 months of lodging your application (unless you’re exempt due to an eligible passport). From 7 August 2025, the Department updated the approved tests and the score table for the Temporary Graduate visa.

If you’re unsure which test suits you or your scores are close to the minimum, Stepping Stones Career Solutions can help — book your consultation today.

What is the English Requirement for a 485 Visa?

The English requirement for the 485 visa is your proof that you can function in English at the level set by Australian migration law for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). In plain terms: you must show an accepted test score (or be exempt), and the result must be recent enough at the time you lodge.

This matters because the 485 is often the “bridge” between study and skilled work. If your English evidence is missing, expired, or doesn’t meet the component minimums, you risk delays or refusal.

The Current 485 Visa English Requirements

Your test must be recent

For subclass 485, the instrument currently requires that you achieve the required score within 1 year before the day you apply.

Approved tests for the Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485

The current instrument lists these tests for the 485 (post–7 August 2025):

• IELTS Academic
• IELTS General Training
• PTE Academic
• TOEFL iBT
• OET
• CELPIP General
• LANGUAGECERT Academic
• MET

Passport Exemptions

If you hold a valid passport issued to a citizen of Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, UK, or USA, English test requirements do not apply under the instrument.

Minimum Scores for the 485 Post Study Work Visa English Requirements

Below are the standard minimums for most applicants under the current table (post–7 August 2025).

485 Visa PTE English Requirements

If you’re targeting the 485 visa English requirements via PTE, the current requirement (tests after 7 Aug 2025) is:

• PTE overall: 55
• Listening: 40  |  Reading: 42  |  Writing: 41  |  Speaking: 39

What we see at Stepping Stones Career Solutions: PTE is popular because results are often released quickly and the format suits candidates who perform well in computer-based testing. Still, many applicants miss by 1–2 points in a single component (often Reading or Writing), so plan time for a re-sit inside your lodgement window.

485 Visa IELTS English Requirement

IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are both accepted for subclass 485. For the 485 visa IELTS English requirement (tests after 7 Aug 2025):

• Average band: 6.5
• Minimum in each component: 5.5

If You Took Your English Test Before 7 August 2025

There are transitional provisions for tests taken before the new instrument commenced. The score must still be achieved within 1 year before you apply (and usually in a single sitting, except OET). The transitional minimums are:

A Practical Timeline to Plan Your English Test

At Stepping Stones Career Solutions, we often use this planning approach to keep applicants on track:

Common Mistakes That Trip Up 485 Applications

• Test too old on lodgement day — valid when you booked, but expired by the time you lodge.
• Online-at-home test results submitted — remote-proctored tests are not accepted; a secure test centre is required.
• Missing component minimums — overall score looks fine but one skill is under the required mark.
• Assuming IELTS is mandatory — it’s common, not compulsory; other approved tests are equally valid.
• Leaving English evidence until the last week — no buffer for a re-sit if results fall short.

English Evidence Checklist (tick ✓ before lodging)