PR Visa English Points: The PTE and IELTS Scores That Earn 10 or 20 Points (189, 190, 491)

Under the skilled migration points test, proficient English earns 10 points and superior English earns 20. For superior English you need IELTS 8 in each band, or, for PTE tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, Listening 69, Reading 70, Writing 85 and Speaking 88. The old “79 in each band” rule only applies to PTE tests taken before that date.

If you’ve been told “just get 79 in PTE and you’ll have your 20 points”, that advice is now out of date for any test you book today. It’s the most important change in PR English in years, and plenty of people still haven’t heard about it.

English points at a glance

Sources: Home Affairs pages for competent, proficient and superior English, and Pearson’s summary of the new DHA scores.

(L = Listening, R = Reading, W = Writing, S = Speaking.)

The IELTS column didn’t change. The PTE column did, and not evenly.

Why “PTE 79 for PR” no longer works

Before August 2025, superior English in PTE was 79 in every skill. Simple to remember and simple to coach.

Now each skill has its own threshold. Listening and Reading actually got easier: 69 and 70 instead of 79. Speaking and Writing got much harder: 88 and 85.

Think about who that helps and who it hurts.

A candidate with strong fluency who reads quickly but whose writing is a bit mechanical used to scrape 79 across the board with good templates. Under the new rules, their Listening and Reading are comfortable, but Writing 85 is a very high bar. On the other hand, someone who struggled to push Reading to 79 now has a 9-point cushion there.

What this means in practice:

• Your weakest PTE skill is now almost always Speaking or Writing. Plan your study hours around those two.
• Templates are worth less at the top end. PTE’s scoring model has been updated since 2025. Our earlier post on the PTE marking changes explains how.
• IELTS 8 is worth a second look. For candidates whose speaking is natural and whose writing holds up under a human examiner, IELTS 8 in each band can be a more realistic target than PTE Speaking 88. For others, it’s the reverse. Don’t pick a test because a friend passed it; sit a diagnostic in both.

Is my old PTE 79 result still valid?

Yes, for now. Results from tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 can be used as evidence of English proficiency until 6 August 2028, provided they also meet the visa’s own timing rules. For the points test, that generally means the test was taken within three years before your invitation. If you have a pre-August 2025 result with 79 in every skill, keep it safe and watch the dates.

Our existing guide on how to get 79 in PTE Academic still covers the task-by-task strategy. Just remember that for a new test, the target for 20 points is the split score in the table above.

Which skill is costing you points? Three common PTE profiles

When students bring us their PTE score reports, most fall into one of three patterns. The thresholds below are for superior English (tests on or after 7 August 2025).

That last row is the painful one. Under the pre-August 2025 rules, 79 across the board was a perfect result for 20 points. Under the new rules, the same performance is proficient English: 10 points, not 20. If you’re re-sitting because an old result is close to expiring, don’t train to the old target.

(These profiles are illustrations of patterns we see, not real individual results.)

How English points fit into your total

The points test for the Skilled Independent (189), Skilled Nominated (190) and Skilled Work Regional (491) visas has a 65-point minimum to submit an Expression of Interest. English is one factor among several; age, qualifications, skilled employment, Australian study and partner skills all count too. Home Affairs publishes the full points table and a points calculator.

Here’s the thing that makes English so important. Reaching 65 doesn’t get you an invitation. Invitations go to the highest-ranked candidates in each occupation, and in competitive occupations the scores that actually receive invitations are often well above the minimum.

Of all the points factors, English is usually the one you can change fastest. You can’t make yourself younger. You can’t add years of work experience in a month. But going from proficient to superior English adds 10 points, and going from competent to superior adds 20.

A quick example. Priya is 34, a software engineer with a bachelor’s degree and six years’ overseas experience. Her age gives her 25 points, her degree 15, her experience 10. That’s 50. With competent English she sits at 50 and can’t even submit an EOI without extra points from elsewhere. With proficient English she’s at 60. With superior English she’s at 70, before any state nomination points. Same person. Same career. A 20-point difference that comes down to her test result.

(Priya is an illustration, not a real student. Your own calculation will depend on factors a points calculator or registered migration agent can confirm.)

How the visa type affects your English strategy

Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent). No state nomination, so no extra 5 or 15 points. English is often the swing factor here.

Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated). A state or territory nomination adds 5 points. States set their own criteria, and some list minimum English levels or give preference to higher English in their selection. Check the relevant state’s website.

Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional). Nomination or eligible family sponsorship adds 15 points. The base English requirement to apply is still competent English, but higher English improves your ranking.

All three need at least competent English just to be eligible. Below that, the points don’t matter.

Proficient vs superior: which target should you set?

It depends on how far away you are, not on how much you want the points.

Go for superior (20 points) if your mock tests are already at proficient level or better and your points total is borderline without the extra 10. The final stretch is hard, but it’s usually the best points-per-week investment available.

Lock in proficient first if you’re currently at competent level. Proficient gets you 10 points and a safety net. Once you have that result, you can keep training for superior without the pressure of having nothing to show.

Consider switching tests if you’ve sat PTE three times and keep missing Speaking 88 by a few points. The IELTS Speaking test is a conversation with an examiner, scored on fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. Some people do far better there. Our IELTS speaking questions and sample answers guide shows what a Band 8 answer sounds like.

A study plan for the superior level

This assumes your mocks are around proficient level and you have 6–8 weeks.

Weeks 1–2: diagnose properly. Sit a full mock in PTE, and if possible IELTS as well. Use our PTE score calculator or IELTS band calculator to see exactly where you sit against each threshold. You’re looking for the gap in each skill, not the overall number.

Weeks 3–5: close the Speaking and Writing gap. For PTE Speaking 88, that means oral fluency and pronunciation under time pressure: no restarts, no long pauses, steady pace. For Writing 85, it means essays and summaries with accurate grammar and precise vocabulary, not memorised filler. For IELTS 8, it means extended answers in Speaking Part 3 and fully developed Task 2 essays. Our guide on improving your writing for IELTS and PTE is a good starting point.

Weeks 6–8: timed mocks and the real test. Book once your mocks clear every threshold with a margin. Superior scores leave very little room for a bad day.

Is the points test changing?

Probably, but not yet. The Government has flagged a redesign of the skilled migration points test, with commentary pointing to a possible start in mid-2027. As of September 2026, nothing has been legislated, and the current points table (including 10 points for proficient and 20 for superior English) still applies. We’ll update this article if that changes.

Frequently asked questions

What PTE score do I need for 20 points in the Australian points test?

For PTE Academic tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, you need at least Listening 69, Reading 70, Writing 85 and Speaking 88. For tests taken on or before 6 August 2025, you needed 79 in each skill.

Is PTE 79 still enough for superior English?

Only for tests taken on or before 6 August 2025. For any PTE test taken since 7 August 2025, superior English needs the new component scores above.

What IELTS score gives 20 points for Australian PR?

You need at least 8 in each of the four IELTS bands: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

How many points do I get for PTE 65?

For older PTE tests (taken on or before 6 August 2025), 65 in each skill equalled proficient English and 10 points. For tests taken since 7 August 2025, proficient English needs Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69 and Speaking 76.

What is the minimum English for the 189, 190 and 491 visas?

Competent English: IELTS 6 in each band, or for PTE tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, Listening 47, Reading 48, Writing 51 and Speaking 54. It earns 0 points but is required to apply.

How long is my English test valid for the points test?

Generally, the test must have been taken within three years before you’re invited to apply. Check the current rules for your visa before relying on an older result.

Every point counts. Let’s find yours.

Boston Institute runs PTE and IELTS preparation at Level 1 & 2, 208 Clarence Street, Sydney CBD, with weekday and weekend classes and new intakes every Monday. Our trainers work with engineers, accountants, IT professionals, nurses and teachers chasing proficient and superior scores.

Book a free PTE/IELTS assessment and find out which skill is costing you points. For the English requirements of every other visa, see our Australian visa English guide.