DIAC Revamps English Proficiency Exams

With all the changes being done in the Australian immigration procedures lately, a lot of people are getting worried that their chances of getting a visa is becoming slimmer and slimmer. And it seems that there will be tons more for them to worry about, as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) recently said that there are still a lot of changes lined up for the visa programs.

One of the biggest of these changes so far was the move by the DIAC to put more emphasis on English language proficiency as a requirement for the issuance of a visa. It should be noted that this is not really that new, as English proficiency has long been a key requirement in getting a visa. However, in previous years, along with a more relaxed immigration policy, English proficiency was counted only up to basic communications skills.

With the new thrust of the government to get more highly skilled professionals into the country to meet worker demand, the department determined that there is also a need to revamp the English language assessment scheme to suit this purpose. The DIAC noted that, due to the above mentioned earlier set up, many of those who have been granted working visa have English communication skills that are below the requirements for the job that they have gotten into. This, according to immigration officials, greatly hampers their ability to perform the tasks that are related to their work.

In order to remedy this one, the department has sought to put more emphasis on better English language skills for those getting a visa. To do this, immigration officials have decided to allocate more points to English proficiency in the Skills assessment being given to visa applicants.

The DIAC have also gone further with this one by revamping the exams that are to be used for determining English proficiency. This was done to ensure that those applicants who have greater command of the language would be the ones to get through. Emphasis was also given on the proper use of professional English in work related areas.

In order to better implement these new measures, the immigration department is now also thinking of changing to current tests. As of current, the exams are provided under the IELTS system. Immigration Minister Chris Evans sad that his department is now seriously considering shifting to TOEFL to meet their needs.

However, visa applicants need not to worry about these new moves. According to immigration officials, visa applicants who don't pass the test are still welcomed to get English courses in the country to better their chances the next time they apply.