Quick answer · Yes. Australia's Department of Home Affairs accepts CELPIP-General taken at a secure test centre on or after 7 August 2025; CELPIP Online is not accepted.
Free to start · full access from CA$16.99 for 7 days · See plans
More · 3 common questions
The score you need depends on the English level your visa asks for: Competent English is CELPIP 7 in each skill and Vocational English is CELPIP 5 in each skill, while Proficient and Superior English need higher scores in each skill.
- What CELPIP score do I need for Australia?
- It depends on the English level your visa asks for. On the DHA's pages, Vocational English is CELPIP 5 in each skill, Competent English is CELPIP 7 in each skill, Proficient English is at least 9 Listening, 8 Reading, 10 Writing and 8 Speaking, and Superior English is at least 10 Listening, 10 Reading, 12 Writing and 10 Speaking. Your visa's eligibility page says which level applies.
- Can I use CELPIP Online for an Australian visa?
- No. The DHA does not accept English tests delivered completely online (remote-proctored or at home) and names CELPIP Online as an example. Take CELPIP-General at a test centre.
- How old can my CELPIP result be for an Australian visa?
- The DHA's English-level pages ask for a score achieved in the 3 years before your visa application, depending on the visa. Check the page for your visa.
CELPIP for Australia
Yes, you can use CELPIP for an Australian visa: the Department of Home Affairs accepts CELPIP-General taken at a secure test centre on or after 7 August 2025 (CELPIP Online is not accepted). The score you need depends on your visa’s English level — Competent English, for example, is CELPIP 7 in each skill.
Source: Department of Home Affairs, English language, checked 27 September 2026.
What changed on 7 August 2025
On 7 August 2025 the Department of Home Affairs changed its list of approved English tests. For tests taken on or after that date, it accepts CELPIP-General alongside tests such as IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT and the Occupational English Test — but only when the test is taken at a secure test centre. CELPIP is run by Paragon Testing Enterprises and is scored on the same levels as the Canadian Language Benchmarks, and Paragon’s score chart maps the same levels to the DHA’s English levels.
Accepted Australian visa programs
The visa groups below are the ones Paragon and the DHA pages name. The English level is set by each visa, not by the test.
Paragon lists CELPIP as accepted for the 482. The DHA 482 page says you must meet its minimum English standard unless exempt, and that English test results can be no more than 3 years old.
Paragon lists CELPIP as accepted for the 485. The English score you need is set on the DHA 485 visa page; check it for your stream before you book.
Paragon lists CELPIP for Australian permanent residence. Each permanent visa names the English level it needs on its DHA eligibility page.
The DHA Student visa page says an approved English test must be taken within the 2 years before you lodge (Regular Evidence level), and that at-home tests, CELPIP Online included, are not accepted.
Sources, checked 27 September 2026: celpip.ca/au/visas, the DHA 482 Core Skills and Student visa pages.
English levels and CELPIP scores
The DHA describes English in named levels. For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, its level pages give these CELPIP-General minimums, which must be met in each of the four components:
| DHA English level | CELPIP-General minimum |
|---|---|
| Vocational English | CELPIP 5 in each skill |
| Competent English | CELPIP 7 in each skill |
| Proficient English | Listening 9 · Reading 8 · Writing 10 · Speaking 8 |
| Superior English | Listening 10 · Reading 10 · Writing 12 · Speaking 10 |
Convert a score with our CLB calculator, or see the full CELPIP score chart. Source: the four DHA English-level pages linked in the table, checked 27 September 2026; Paragon’s own score-comparison chart shows the same levels. The DHA asks for a score achieved in the 3 years before your visa application, depending on the visa.
The DHA does not accept English tests delivered completely online, and names CELPIP Online as one of them. Take CELPIP-General at a test centre. Paragon’s test-date calendar lists the Australian sittings, and its Australian page lists the test at AUD $355 plus applicable taxes (checked 27 September 2026).
Why choose CELPIP
Practise before you book
Find out where you stand before you pay for the real test.
Monthly Pass: CA$39.99 for 30 days — all 10 mocks and up to 40 marked Writing or Speaking answers every 30 days. See all plans
Frequently asked questions
Is CELPIP accepted for Australian visas?
Yes. The Department of Home Affairs accepts CELPIP-General for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, as long as the test was taken at a secure test centre. Paragon lists it for the 482, the 485 and permanent visas. Which English level you need depends on the visa.
What CELPIP score do I need for Australia?
It depends on the English level your visa asks for. On the DHA's pages, Vocational English is CELPIP 5 in each skill, Competent English is CELPIP 7 in each skill, Proficient English is at least 9 Listening, 8 Reading, 10 Writing and 8 Speaking, and Superior English is at least 10 Listening, 10 Reading, 12 Writing and 10 Speaking. Your visa's eligibility page says which level applies.
Can I use CELPIP Online for an Australian visa?
No. The DHA does not accept English tests delivered completely online (remote-proctored or at home) and names CELPIP Online as an example. Take CELPIP-General at a test centre.
How old can my CELPIP result be for an Australian visa?
The DHA's English-level pages ask for a score achieved in the 3 years before your visa application, depending on the visa. The 482 page says results can be no more than 3 years old, and the Student visa page says the test must be taken within the 2 years before you lodge (Regular Evidence level). Check the page for your visa.
How much does CELPIP cost in Australia?
Paragon's Australian page lists the CELPIP-General test at AUD $355 plus applicable taxes.
Sources, checked 27 September 2026: the Australian Department of Home Affairs (English language, level and visa pages) and Paragon Testing Enterprises (celpip.ca/au). Requirements can change; Celpip.me is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with Paragon or the DHA — confirm current rules on the official sites before you book or apply.
Ready for your Australian visa?
Sit a free full-length CELPIP mock under real timing — no credit card.
Take the free mock test