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Many countries require applicants to prove their English language proficiency when applying for work visas or skilled migration pathways. Commonly accepted English tests include PTE, IELTS, TOEFL and CELPIP, depending on the destination country and visa route.
Requirements vary by immigration authority, visa category, occupation and English proficiency framework. This guide explains which English tests are commonly accepted for work visas, how English proficiency levels are assessed, and what to check before booking a test.
Country |
Commonly accepted tests |
Regulating authority |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | PTE Academic UKVI, IELTS for UKVI, other approved SELT providers | UK Home Office (through UK Visas and Immigration, UKVI) |
| Canada | PTE Core, IELTS General Training, CELPIP | Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) |
| Australia | PTE Academic, IELTS, TOEFL iBT and other approved tests depending on visa pathway | Department of Home Affairs (DHA) |
| New Zealand | PTE Academic, IELTS, TOEFL iBT and others depending on visa pathway | Immigration New Zealand (INZ) |
*Note: Immigration policies, approved tests and minimum score requirements can change. Always confirm requirements directly with the official immigration authority before booking a test or submitting an application.
Many countries use recognized language frameworks to define English proficiency levels.
These include:
PTE reports scores using Pearson’s Global Scale of English (GSE), an English proficiency scale aligned to CEFR levels. GSE scores can also help compare English proficiency across frameworks used in education and immigration systems, including Canada’s CLB system.
Although English proficiency requirements follow similar principles, each country defines its own approved English tests and minimum score requirements for work-related visa applications.
Most UK work visa routes require applicants to demonstrate their English language ability through a UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) taken at an authorized test centre.
Commonly accepted SELT tests include:
To learn more about which English test may be suitable for your UK work visa, see our guide to PTE SELT tests for UK.
Australia's Department of Home Affairs (DHA) sets English language requirements for work visas by visa stream and occupation. Requirements vary depending on the visa subclass, occupation and whether the pathway is points-tested.
Some visa pathways require applicants to meet minimum scores in each communication skill assessed, rather than only an overall score. Additionally, some regulated professions, such as healthcare, may require higher English standards through professional registration bodies such as Ahpra.
For Australia-specific score requirements by visa subclass, see PTE for Australian visas.
Canada uses the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) system to assess English language proficiency across work permits and economic migration pathways, including Express Entry programmes.
For economic immigration pathways, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts PTE Core rather than PTE Academic.
Commonly accepted English tests include:
Applicants must achieve scores that correspond to the required CLB level for their visa or immigration pathway. CLB conversion is assessed skill by skill rather than through an overall average score.
Different pathways require different CLB levels depending on the programme, occupation and Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) requirements.
Read more: English language requirements for Canadian work permits and immigration pathways
Accepted English language evidence and minimum score requirements are published by Immigration New Zealand (INZ).
English language evidence is generally only required for Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) applications for jobs classified at ANZSCO skill levels 4 or 5. Most ANZSCO skill level 1–3 roles do not require English language evidence.
Exemptions may apply for citizens of majority English-speaking countries, applicants with prior English-medium study, or applicants with qualifying work experience in English-speaking countries. The role’s ANZSCO classification helps determine whether English language evidence is required.
Learn more: English language requirements for New Zealand Visas (PTE resource)
Before booking an English language test for your work visa application, confirm:
Countries often require specific versions of a test. For example:
You should also consider test format, result turnaround times, test availability, scheduling flexibility, and other practical factors when choosing an English language tests for your work visa.
A great English test should do more than produce a score. It should measure how people use English in the real world and provide a result that helps them move forward with confidence.
Your PTE overall score is important, but it is sometimes misunderstood. If you have ever calculated the average of your Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing scores, and wondered why the number does not match your overall score, we are here to help. This guide explains why the overall score is not a simple average, what it is based on, and how to read it confidently.
If your PTE skill scores look very different from each other, that does not automatically mean something has gone wrong. Your Score Report includes individual scores for Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, and most test takers do not perform in exactly the same way across every skill. Here we explain what your PTE results can show you, why different skill scores can be completely normal and how to use that information calmly and practically.
