WA4.12 English Language Requirements (10/03/2025)

WA4.12.1 Minimum standard of English language for Accredited Employer work visa 

1. Applicants for an Accredited Employer work visa, where their employment has been assessed at the Job Check as ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 (excluding roles treated at a higher skill level under WA3.16 (d)) are considered to meet the minimum standard of English if they provide acceptable English language test results no more than two years old at the time the application is lodged, as set out at WA4.12.5, obtained by sitting the test in person at a test centre (tests taken remotely outside of a test centre, including ‘at home’ tests, are not acceptable).
2. Other evidence that an applicant meets the minimum standard of English is: 
   1. citizenship of Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America, provided the applicant has spent at least five years in work or education in one or more of those countries or Australia or New Zealand; or 
   2. a qualification comparable to a New Zealand level 7 bachelor’s degree and gained in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America as a result of study undertaken for at least two academic years in one or more of those countries; or 
   3. a qualification comparable to a New Zealand qualification at level 8 or above and gained in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America as a result of study undertaken for at least one academic year in one or more of those countries. 
3. In any case, an immigration officer may require an applicant to provide an English language test result in terms of paragraph WA4.12.1(a). In such cases, the English language test result will be used to determine whether the applicant meets the minimum standard of English. 
4. Accredited Employer work visa applications for a role assessed at the Job Check as ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 must be declined if the applicant has not met the minimum standard of English. 
5. Despite WA4.12.1 (a), an immigration officer may accept that an applicant meets the minimum standard of English where an immigration officer has already assessed that they meet the minimum standard of English as part of a previous application.
6. To support peak workforce demand until 31 January 2025 only, an applicant is exempt from meeting the minimum standard of English, if they are applying from a Pacific country (as listed in regulation 4A(3)(b) of the Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010) where English language testing centres are not available at the time they make their application.

WA4.12.5 Acceptable English language test results

The following English language test results are acceptable: 

*A score of Grade D or higher in all four skills is required for the OET as there is no overall grade for this test. 

Effective 10/03/2025