IELTS Band Scores for Australian PR

Lots of people from around the world want to go live, work, and study in Australia. In order to do this, they will need to have a good performance on the IELTS test. But what score should they get in order to be qualified for Australian PR? And how does the Australian government consider the four different sections of the exam? Read on to find out.

IELTS for Australian PR

The IELTS test in the world’s foremost exam for proving English proficiency and so governments, employers, and universities around the world use it to judge whether or not a person can speak English well.

In Australia, IELTS is the pre-eminent exam and so if you want to apply for Australian PR, you will need to sit the IELTS test and get a good grade. You can then incorporate this grade into your immigration application.

Of course, there are various kinds of visa that you could apply for and this choice will come down to your personal situation. However, it is important to note that this will also affect the type of IELTS test that you do. In other words, should you do the IELTS academic test or the IELTS general test? You should make sure that you know this before booking your test or beginning the visa process. If you are new to IELTS, then read this IELTS FAQ guide covering answers to all possible IELTS questions.

What IELTS Score do I Need for Australian PR?

The Australian government has implemented a points system for immigration visa application processing. This means that different factors will be taken into consideration when judging the applications of immigrants from around the world.

IELTS fits into this system. The IELTS band scores that you are given in IELTS determine the number of points that you will get in the point calculator.

The minimum band score that you need to apply for an Australian visa is band 6. However, getting higher than this is strongly recommended because it can add more points to give you a better chance of being accepted.

Here is how it works:

This means that if you got a band 6, you would be eligible to apply for immigration, but you would not have any additional points put towards your application. At band 7, you would have 10 points, and at band 8 you would have 20 points.

For this reason, it can be highly beneficial to get a good IELTS score. Someone who has got amazing qualifications in other areas might get by with just a band 6, but for most people it would be advantageous to do better.

Is it a Band 6 Overall or for Each Section?

It is important to note that the IELTS band scores accepted for the Australian immigration points system are minimum score for each section. In other words, getting a band 6 means getting at least a band 6 in all four parts of the test: speaking, writing, reading, and listening.

This is why IELTS can be difficult for people looking to immigrate. Let’s say you calculate that with your present situation, you need a band score of 7 to give you those 10 extra points. It’s not enough to get a band 7 overall. You need a minimum of band 7 in each section.

Thus, this would be insufficient:

You would have to sit the exam again in order to try and reach your target score. This would be better:

Most people find that the writing test is very difficult and this can trip them up. It is a frustrating process, but it is not impossible. Work hard and you will succeed. The key to Australian PR is within your grasp.