Australian Values Statement

From 15 October 2008, if you are aged 18 years or over, you are required to sign an Australian values statement as part of your visa application. The statement is included in your visa application form and all applicants aged 18 years and over will need to sign it to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. Before signing this statement you are required to have read, or had explained to you, material made available by the government on life in Australia which is contained in the Life in Australia book.

What is the IELTS test?

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test is an international test of competency in English that is taken at various test centre across the UK (and the world.) The typical cost is £95.

Do I need to have my English language ability tested ?

Applicants whose first language is English and hold a British, Irish, Canadian, New Zealand or U.S passport will be considered to meet the English language threshold without needing to sit an English language test. This qualifies you for 15 points towards the GSM points test.

However, by taking the IELTS test, you can gain up to 25 points towards your visa application, even you do badly, you still receive the 15 points if you are a British passport holder as outlined above

If you need to sit an Occupational English Test (OET) as part of the skills assessment for your nominated
occupation, you can use this test result as evidence of your English language ability when applying for
GSM.

Before you apply, you are encouraged to obtain proof of your English language ability by one of the following methods :

• provide evidence that you are a native English speaker, or
• undertake an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test.

It is your responsibility to contact an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test centre to make arrangements. You do not need a letter of introduction or referral from the department to take the IELTS test. For the most up-to-date list of IELTS centres, check the IELTS website.

IELTS test papers are available to purchase via this form.