- The CELPIP requirement for subclass 491
- DHA English levels in CELPIP terms
- What the subclass 491 is
- A nominated visa: the minimum can be raised
- Online tests are not accepted
- 189, 190 and 491 compared
The CELPIP requirement for subclass 491
DHA publishes the English requirement for the subclass 491 as Competent English. In CELPIP terms that is a level of 7 in every one of the four abilities: Listening 7, Reading 7, Writing 7 and Speaking 7.
Two rules make this stricter than it first looks. First, there is no averaging — the four abilities are reported separately, so one ability below the line means you do not hold Competent English, however strong the other three are. A CELPIP 10 in Writing will not carry a Listening 6.
Second, CELPIP runs one-to-one with the CLB: CELPIP 7 is CLB 7, 8 is 8, and 10 or above is CLB 10, per ability. The level names DHA uses are therefore the same whichever accepted test you sit, and only the scaled scores differ. Our DHA requirements by visa page lists the levels for the other subclasses.
Australia requires the four-skill CELPIP General test. CELPIP General LS covers Listening and Speaking only and is accepted for Canadian citizenship, not for Australian visas.
DHA English levels in CELPIP terms
DHA recognises four levels for skilled visas. Each has a CELPIP equivalent per ability and a fixed value on the points test, so the same result can be both the minimum you need to lodge and the source of the points that get you invited:
| DHA level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Points (skilled visas) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior English | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | +20 |
| Proficient English | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 | +10 |
| Competent English | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 (eligibility floor) |
| Vocational English | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
Read the table as four separate bars, not a sliding scale: Proficient English means meeting the Proficient row in each ability, not producing a strong average. Note where the Writing column sits — those thresholds are the highest of the four at both Proficient (10) and Superior (12), which is why writing is often the ability that holds a score at Competent level.
Below Vocational English sits Functional English, which DHA measures as an overall band score of at least 5 rather than a per-ability level. It is a threshold for certain family members and earns no points on a skilled visa.
What the subclass 491 is
The subclass 491 is the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. Three features shape how you should read the English requirement:
- It is provisional and valid for 5 years, so it is not permanent residence granted up front.
- It ties you to a designated regional area. While you hold the visa you must live, work and study in a designated regional area, not in the major metropolitan centres.
- It has a permanent residence pathway. After 3 years from grant you can apply for permanent residence.
Because the visa runs five years and leads to a later application, check DHA's current page for the stage you are at rather than assuming one result covers both: CELPIP scores are valid for 2 years under Paragon's rules. Cost and process sit in our Australia PR process and cost guide.
A nominated visa: the minimum can be raised
The 491 is not a visa you apply for on your own record. It is state or territory nominated, which means a nominating jurisdiction has to select you, and each jurisdiction publishes its own criteria for who it will nominate.
The level DHA publishes — Competent English — is the federal floor. A state or territory can set criteria that exceed it, whether by naming a higher English level, an occupation list, work experience in the occupation or ties to the region. Two applicants can satisfy DHA equally and still not be equally competitive for nomination.
So read two sources before booking a test: DHA's subclass 491 page for the immigration requirement, and the nominating state's or territory's page for its criteria. Treat the higher of the two as your target. Our subclass 189 and subclass 190 pages set out how those visas differ.
Why Competent English rarely wins an invitation
Competent English earns no points at all. It is the level you must reach to be eligible, and then it stops mattering: Proficient English is worth +10 and Superior English is worth +20.
That is a 10 to 20 point swing on a single line of the points test, and the most controllable line on it. Age points fall as time passes, and skilled employment experience is earned in years rather than weekends, but English can be moved with a study plan and a booking. If your total sits 10 points short of the mark you need, lifting all four abilities from Competent to Proficient is exactly a 10 point gain; moving to Superior is 20.
Test centre rule: CELPIP Online is not accepted
DHA does not accept online or at-home tests. CELPIP Online is on the excluded list alongside IELTS Online, MET Digital (at-home), OET@Home and TOEFL iBT Home Edition, so you must sit CELPIP General at a secure test centre.
Two dates decide what you can use. CELPIP General was added to DHA's accepted English test list on 7 August 2025, and results from tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 can be used until 6 August 2028, depending on the subclass. Paragon's own validity period for a result is 2 years, which is usually the binding constraint for a new application, so test close to the point at which you need the result.
The test itself is one sitting of about three hours with no separate speaking appointment, and results appear online in 8 business days, or 3 with express rating. Section counts and timings are on our CELPIP General test format page.
189, 190 and 491 side by side
The English floor is the same for the three main points-tested skilled visas. What you do with the visa afterwards is not:
| Feature | 189 Skilled Independent | 190 Skilled Nominated | 491 Skilled Work Regional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum English | At least Competent English (CELPIP 7 in each ability) at time of invitation | At least Competent English (CELPIP 7 in each ability) | At least Competent English (CELPIP 7 in each ability) |
| Points for English | 0, +10 or +20 by level | 0, +10 or +20 by level | 0, +10 or +20 by level |
| Nomination | None — you must be invited | State or territory nomination | State or territory nomination |
| Nature of the visa | Permanent | See our subclass 190 guide | Provisional, valid 5 years |
| Where you live and work | Anywhere in Australia | See our subclass 190 guide | A designated regional area |
| Permanent residence | Granted as a permanent visa | See our subclass 190 guide | Apply after 3 years from grant |
| Cost | From AUD 6,135 | See our cost guide | See our cost guide |
The 189 carries published conditions outside English: you must be under 45 at the time of invitation, reach a minimum of 65 points, and lodge an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. The regional visa trades location for a staged route to permanence.
Next steps and where to practise
- Confirm the requirement on DHA's subclass 491 page and the nominating state's criteria, then target the higher level.
- Diagnose per ability. With no averaging, you need to know which single ability is your weakest before you prepare. Our CELPIP to CLB and CRS calculator converts a per-ability result into level and points terms.
- Book a secure test centre — not CELPIP Online, and not an at-home equivalent.
PrepSettle practice sets use the official section counts and timings, so a practice result is comparable to the real thing: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, with no login and no cost.