This requirement was introduced on July 1 this year.. It has been
implemented to help ensure that sponsored workers are able to respond to
occupational health and safety risks; to raise any concerns about their welfare
with appropriate authorities; and to benefit Australia
by sharing their skills with other workers.

All primary visa applicants must meet the English language requirement
unless they have been nominated for a position that does not require English
language for licensing or registration. There are exceptions that include any
skilled worker:

• whose
  first language is English and who is a passport holder from Canada, New
  Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, or the United States of America; or
• they are
  to be paid at least a salary specified in a legislative instrument
  (initially a gross salary of $75, 000 excluding all deductions) and the
  grant of the visa is in the interests of Australia; or
• they
  have completed at least five years of continuous full time secondary
  and/or tertiary education where at least 80 percent of the instruction was
  conducted in English.

Certain primary subclass 457 Visa applicants will be required to have
proficiency in English equivalent to an average band score of 4.5 across the
four test components in the International English Language Testing System
(IELTS) test.

Applicants must meet a higher level of English proficiency where this is
required for licensing or registration in their nominated
occupation. Applicants will need to detail their English language skills
on their visa application form.

Notwithstanding the evidence submitted with an application, skilled
workers may be asked to undertake an IELTS test to demonstrate their English
language skills.

IELTS is a test designed to assess an applicant's English language
ability. It has an academic test and a general training test – applicants
only need to take the general training test unless advised otherwise by a
registration or licensing body. IELTS examinations are available
worldwide.

Information on fees, available test dates, and application forms are
available on the IELTS website. Further details are available from Printing Industries Skilled Migration Adviser, Peter Lovell, on 0434 077 584 or peter@printnet.com.au

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