The IELTS Partners – the British Council, IDP Education, and Cambridge University Press & Assessment – are proud to announce the signing of a new three-year Deed of Agreement with the Australian Department of Home Affairs, reaffirming IELTS as an approved English language test for visa and migration purposes.
The use of IELTS for Australian visa purposes is currently approved and will continue to be accepted subject to final legislative requirements underway.
The agreement means test takers around the world can continue to rely on an IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training score as a trusted reflection of their English ability as they look to live, work and study in Australia.
We’re pleased to be able to deliver the high-quality, secure and fair tests that Australia rightly demands. I’m proud of IELTS’ role in helping people achieve their potential by offering an accurate reflection of their English proficiency. Test takers who choose IELTS to study or work in Australia can be confident that we are helping them not only to succeed, but to thrive.
It’s fantastic that people can continue to choose IELTS for work or study in Australia. As part of the British Council’s mission to connect people around the world through arts and culture, education and the English language, we’re proud that IELTS continues to open doors worldwide, and we’re thrilled to keep supporting individuals on these life-changing journeys.
The agreement continues a partnership that began in 2001, when IELTS became the first English language test to be recognised by the Australian Government for immigration. For more than two decades, IELTS has played a central role in enabling skilled migration and supporting Australia’s international education sector by providing a secure and trusted measure of English proficiency.
We are honoured to continue this long-standing relationship with the Department of Home Affairs.
This new agreement reflects our shared commitment to maintaining integrity, quality and fairness in English language testing, values that sit at the heart of the Australian migration system.
The new agreement follows a comprehensive review of accepted English language tests by the Department. The IELTS Partners commend this process for its rigorous approach and clear focus on test quality and security.
From the beginning, IELTS has set the standard for secure, reliable, and human-centred English language testing. It continues to be trusted globally for its robust design, human assessment, and relevance to everyday use.
The new agreement also restates the acceptance of the IELTS One Skill Retake for most visa subclasses^, giving test takers greater flexibility and support on their journey.
With 60,000 people choosing IELTS every week to prove their language skills and recognition from more than 12,500 organisations worldwide, IELTS is proud to continue playing a vital role in helping people build better lives and brighter futures in Australia.
^ For Australian visa purposes, the Department accepts IELTS test results that include IELTS One Skill Retake, with the exception of applications for visa subclasses 476, 482, and 485, which need scores from a single sitting/attempt.