Question: I got a band score of 5 in IELTS, do I meet the IELTS requirement for a 457 visa?

Most people believe that the passing marks for English is a minimum of 5's across all four components of the IELTS General Test (i.e. Reading, writing, speaking and listening).

However from the 18th of April this year (2015), Immigration loosened the requirements and allowed people to show a band score (ie. Average score) of 5, with no scores less than 4.5 in any of the four components.

This is a big deal, considering how the IELTS testing organization has been largely viewed as a monopoly giant in the English testing industry and having an unexplained knack of failing people’s individual scores by 0.5. This change since the 18th of April, will allow more people who can meet the band score average to go ahead and apply for their 457 working visas and get on with life.

Kudos Immigration. Kudos.

From the desk of Yuri Marshall | Changing Lives Everyday