The Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has announced that starting from July 26, 2023, the previously recognised English language test for Australian visa applications, TOEFL iBT, will be temporarily unavailable for visa purposes.
The decision comes following several revisions that have been made to the test by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the organization that administers the TOEFL exam, the updated version of which was launched on July 26, 2023.
As a result, the DHA has warned individuals applying for Australian visas to consider alternative English language proficiency tests accepted by the Australian authorities. The government has also pointed out that it is reviewing the changes made to the TOEFL iBT exam, VisaGuide.World reports.
While the TOEFL iBT is temporarily unavailable for visa purposes, the following English proficiency test results will be accepted:
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS), including One Skill Retake (OSR)
- Pearson Test of English (PTE)
- Cambridge English (CAE) (also known as C1 Advanced)
- The Occupational English Test (OET) is specifically designed for health professionals.
If individuals have already taken the TOEFL test for Australian visa purposes before July 25, their test result will remain valid and not be affected by the temporary suspension.
The Australian DHA will accept IELTS test results that include the OSR option for visa purposes, except for subclasses 476, 482, and 485 applications. Applicants applying for these subclasses will be required to provide their IELTS test scores from a single sitting or attempt, and they will not be eligible to use the OSR option.
Last month, the ETS implemented a series of changes to the TOEFL test, and as part of these updates, the test duration has been significantly reduced. Instead of the previous three-hour duration, the TOEFL test will now take less than two hours to complete. This reduction in test time will likely provide candidates with a more efficient and streamlined experience while taking the TOEFL exam.
The test will, however, remain valid for university admission.
“The TOEFL iBT test is accepted by 100 percent of Australian universities, and Australian education providers can continue to accept, for admission purposes, valid TOEFL scores from tests taken pre- and post-July 26,” SVP of Global Higher Education and Workskills at ETS Rohit Sharma stated.
Sharma also added that ETS had taken the initiative to submit the improved test to DHA for assessment, following the same authority standards protocol in evaluating English language tests. According to him, ETS has extended appreciation to the DHA for conducting a rigorous review, as it guarantees the maintenance of their elevated criteria for measuring English proficiency.
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