IELTS Score for Australian PR 2026: Bands and Points

IELTS bands for each English level

Home Affairs looks at each of the four skills separately. Your overall band score does not decide your level.

English level	IELTS band (each skill)	PR points
Competent	6	0
Proficient	7	10
Superior	8	20

Both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are accepted. The bands are the same for tests taken before and after 7 August 2025, so you only need to know one set of numbers.

How English points fit into the points test

The Skilled Independent (189), Skilled Nominated (190) and Skilled Work Regional (491) visas have a pass mark of 65 points. It has been 65 since 16 November 2019. Competent English is the minimum English requirement for these visas, so it gives no points. Proficient English gives 10 points and Superior English gives 20.

The step from 7s to 8s is worth 10 points. That is the same as the gap between Proficient and Competent, so getting from 7 to 8 can matter just as much as getting from 6 to 7.

Which IELTS results count

At a test centre only. Home Affairs does not accept tests delivered completely online. It names IELTS Online as an example of a test it does not accept.
Taken within 3 years. For points-tested visas, the test must be from the 3 years before your invitation. If you are applying without an invitation, count back from your application date.
Older results. Results from tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 can be used until 6 August 2028 inclusive, depending on the visa. IELTS bands did not change, so the 3-year window is usually what limits you, not the transition date.

One Skill Retake: accepted by Home Affairs

Home Affairs lists both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training as accepted tests "including One Skill Retake". Its English level pages say that results including a One Skill Retake are accepted for eligible visas, and that you should check the page for your visa. They also say these results have been accepted since 14 December 2022. IDP, which runs IELTS in Australia, states that One Skill Retake is accepted for all Australian visa subclasses.

The rules, according to IDP

You must take it within 60 days of your original test.
You can retake only one skill, and only once for each full IELTS test.
It is available if you took IELTS on computer at an eligible test centre. If you took Writing on paper, you can retake Writing on paper.
You receive a new Test Report Form. It shows the new score for the skill you retook and your other three scores from the original test.
You can choose to use either the old or the new Test Report Form.
In Australia it costs AUD 320.

When a retake makes sense

Say you score L 8.5, R 8, W 7.5, S 8. Writing keeps you at Proficient (10 points). If you retake Writing and get 8, your result becomes Superior (20 points). The retake costs AUD 320, and a full test costs AUD 505.

If two skills are below your target, a One Skill Retake can only fix one of them, so it won't be enough.

What IELTS costs in Australia

IDP's prices, last updated 4 November 2026:

Test	Price (AUD)
IELTS Academic	$505
IELTS General Training	$505
IELTS One Skill Retake	$320

IDP says fees can change and can vary by location. In some places, including parts of regional Australia, the fee can be slightly higher. There is no separate registration or payment processing fee.

IELTS vs the new PTE cut scores

For PTE Academic tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, each skill has its own minimum score.

English level	IELTS (each skill)	PTE Academic L / R / W / S	Points
Competent	6	47 / 48 / 51 / 54	0
Proficient	7	58 / 59 / 69 / 76	10
Superior	8	69 / 70 / 85 / 88	20

The two tests set their bars differently:

IELTS uses one bar for all four skills. If you score 8 in three skills and 7.5 in the fourth, you are at Proficient.
PTE's bar is not the same across skills. It is lowest for Listening and Reading and highest for Speaking and Writing. In PTE, Speaking 88 is needed for Superior.
Retakes. IDP says IELTS is the only major test with a single-skill retake, and that PTE candidates who miss a score must retake the whole test.

Which test is easier depends on your own skills. If your Speaking is strong and your Reading is weaker, the PTE balance may suit you. If all four of your skills are close together, IELTS's single bar is simpler to aim for. A full mock test in each format will show you more than any comparison table.

Worked examples

Candidate	L	R	W	S	Result	Points
A	8	8	8	8	Superior	20
B	9	8.5	7	7.5	Proficient (Writing below 8)	10
C	7.5	7	6.5	7	Competent (Writing below 7)	0
D	8.5	8	7.5	8	Proficient, Superior after a Writing retake at 8	10 → 20

Candidate C has an overall band of 7 and still gets 0 points. For PR points, the overall band does not count. Each skill has to reach the bar.

FAQ

Did the IELTS score for Australian PR change in 2025?

No. Proficient is still 7 in each skill and Superior is still 8 in each skill. On 7 August 2025 it was the PTE, TOEFL and other tests' cut scores that changed.

Does Home Affairs accept IELTS One Skill Retake for PR?

Home Affairs accepts results that include a One Skill Retake for eligible visas, and it lists IELTS "including One Skill Retake" among its accepted tests. IDP says it is accepted for all subclasses. Check the page for your visa before you rely on it.

Is IELTS Online accepted for Australian visas?

No. Home Affairs does not accept tests delivered completely online, and it names IELTS Online as one of them. Take IELTS at a test centre.

How long is my IELTS result valid for PR points?

For points-tested visas, the test must be from the 3 years before your invitation.

Should I take IELTS Academic or General Training?

For PR points, Home Affairs accepts either one, and the bands are the same.

Prepare with TestSucceed

TestSucceed offers full-length IELTS mock tests, practice materials, and AI scoring of Writing and Speaking with feedback, on the web and in iOS and Android apps. Sit a mock test to see which skill is below 7 or 8. Then focus your practice on that skill before you book a full test or a One Skill Retake.

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IELTS Score for Australian PR in 2026