Australia’s heath regulators The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the National Boards, have announced two important changes to their English Language Skills (ELS) standard:

1. Lower Writing Score Requirement
2. Expansion of Recognised English-speaking countries

These updates aim to make the registration process fairer and more accessible for all internationally qualified healthcare professionals applying to work in Australia. These changes are now effective, as of 18 March 2025.

To help you understand the changes, we’ve summarised the key updates and what they mean for healthcare professionals applying for registration in Australia — including those in Dentistry, Dietetics, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Radiography, Speech Pathology and Veterinary Science.

1. Lower Writing Score Requirement

•  Ahpra and the National Boards have lowered the minimum accepted score for the writing part of English language tests.
•  This means the accepted OET Writing score has moved from a B to a C+.
•  This change allows for greater flexibility for applicants to meet the English writing requirements in Australia when applying for registration. 
•  All other parts of the English language tests will still require a minimum score of B. This includes Listening, Reading and Speaking.

2. Expansion of Recognised English-speaking countries

The Board has also expanded the list of recognised English-speaking countries. Under the new standard, this list has been expanded to 30 nations and territories. Previously, only practitioners from seven recognising countries, including the UK, USA and New Zealand, were exempt from English testing.

The full list of recognised countries is:

This change will make it easier for qualified professionals from a broader range of countries to register in Australia. 

If you would like to learn more about the changes, please head to the regulator’s website here.