Ielts Sender: George Lombard

The difference is that for the designated sponsored visa you only need 4.5 if the state or territory of your sponsor has English language arrangements in place to allow you to undertake English training after arrival.

This is what the text of the regulations say for the subclbutt 496:

"Either the applicant has vocational English, or:

(a) he or she has proficiency in English of at least the standard required for the award of 10 points for the language skill factor of the general points test specified in item 6311 of Schedule 6; and

(b) his or her sponsor lives in a State or Territory specified by Gazette Notice as a State or Territory in which arrangements are established for suitable English-language training for applicants to whom this paragraph applies; and

(c) the Minister is satisfied that the applicant has paid any fee or charge for that training."

The reference to "vocational English" means a minimum of 5.0 on each part of the IELTS test and to get 10 points in item 6311 in the old Schedule 6 points test you would have needed an average of 4.5 on the IELTS test.

Cheers,

George Lombard

www.austimmigration.com.au

-- www.austimmigration.com.au