BF2 Minimum standards of English (29/11/2010)

1. Unless instructions specify otherwise, principal applicants who lodge applications under any business immigration category, meet the minimum standard of English if:
   1. they provide a certificate (no more than 2 years old at the time the application is lodged) from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), which shows an overall band score of at least 4 in the IELTS General or Academic Module; or
   2. they provide evidence that they have an English-speaking background (see BF2.1) which is accepted by a business immigration specialist as meeting the minimum standard of English; or
   3. they provide other evidence which satisfies a business immigration specialist that, taking account of that evidence and all the circumstances of the application, the person meets the minimum standard of English (see BF2.5).
2. In any case under (a) (ii) or (iii), a business immigration specialist may require an applicant to provide an IELTS certificate in terms of paragraph (a)(i). In such cases, the IELTS certificate will be used to determine whether the applicant meets the minimum standard of English.

Note: IELTS is an international organisation that provides an assessment of ability in English. Its General and Academic Modules provide band totals (test results) showing overall ability as well as performance in listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Effective 29/11/2010