General Skilled Migration English language changes

Commencement: 1 January 2010

From 1 January 2010, the Migration Regulations 1994 (‘the Regulations’) are amended to change the English language
requirements for onshore General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas.  In particular, the amendments:

•increase the English language requirements for applicants nominating trade occupations (Australian Standard
Classification of Occupations (ASCO) Level 4 occupation) by removing the option of ‘vocational English’;
•remove the option for applicants to receive points towards a qualifying score for the General Points Test for
‘vocational English’;
•require applicants applying with ‘concessional competent English’ to attain an average score of 6 in the
International English Language Testing System (IELTS);
•provide that applicants applying with ‘concessional competent English’, will no longer be restricted to being
nominated by a State or Territory, or sponsored by a person who resides in a State or Territory, in which
arrangements are established for suitable English language training, nor will they be required to enroll in an
English language course and pay the fee; and
•ensure that where a primary applicant is relying on partner points in the General Points Test, no points will be
awarded if the partner has ‘vocational English’ and if claiming ‘concessional competent English’, they have not
met the new requirements as set out for primary applicants.