Are you applying for skilled migration visas? Did you know that if your partner has less than functional English, you will need to pay a $4,885 English language tuition fee?
The details: In the Department of Immigration’s Fees and Charges page, this charge is mentioned as ’12a’ and can be very easy to miss. This charge is the ‘English Education Charge’ which obliges the government to provide, or arrange for provision of, up to 510 hours of tuition in an approved English course.
Who: This fee is payable for any skilled migration applicants (primary and secondary applicants) over 18 years old, who has less than functional English.
What is considered functional English?
If you meet any one of the following criteria:
- Nationality: Holder of a UK, USA, Canadian, NZ, Irish passport
- English test result: At least 4.5 across all IELTS bands | 32 in all 4 TOEFL components | 30 across all PTE bands
- Australian Adult Migration English Program: Positive assessment from a program provider
- Formal education where all instructions were in English: You have completed any one of the following:
• Higher degree that required 2 years’ of study
• 1 year of full-time higher study
• 2 years of part-time higher study
• 5 years of secondary study
• All years of primary and 3 in secondary study
It may be worth having your partner brush up on their English while you prepare for your application. It could save you almost $5,000!