On the Australian points test, English is worth 0, 10 or 20 points: nothing for Competent English, 10 for Proficient, 20 for Superior. NAATI CCL is worth a further 5 points, and it is not an English test at all — it is a credential for interpreting between English and another language. That is why the two sit in a sequence rather than in competition: PTE (or IELTS) decides whether you are at 0, 10 or 20, and CCL adds 5 on top without you having to raise your English band again.
This page sets out both tables as the Department of Home Affairs and NAATI publish them, checked on 18 September 2026, and shows where the 5 points fit for someone who has already sat PTE. Written by Green School (formerly Green English), an online school in Queensland, Australia, that prepares candidates for PTE Academic and runs its own NAATI CCL course.
The points, side by side
These rows are from the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) points table on the Home Affairs website. The same English and community-language rows apply to the points-tested skilled visas generally.
| Claim | Points | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Competent English | 0 | The entry level. It is a requirement for many visas, but it earns nothing on the points test. |
| Proficient English | 10 | Roughly one band above Competent, in every component. |
| Superior English | 20 | The top band in every component. The hardest 10 points on the whole table. |
| Credentialled community language | 5 | A NAATI credential — for most people, passing the CCL test. |
| Professional Year in Australia | 5 | At least 12 months, in Accounting, ICT or Engineering only. |
| Australian study requirement | 5 | A qualifying Australian qualification. |
| Partner with competent English and a skills assessment | 10 | Partner must be an applicant for the same visa. |
Home Affairs states the community-language row plainly: “Hold a recognised qualification in a credentialled community language — 5”, and adds the condition: “To be credentialled in a community language and eligible for the award of points you must have been accredited at the paraprofessional level or above, certified at the certified provisional level or above, or have a community language credential for interpreting or translating by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.”
What PTE scores you actually need for 10 and 20 points
Here is where most people are working from an out-of-date number. The old shorthand — PTE 50 for Competent, 65 for Proficient, 79 for Superior — no longer describes the rule. For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, Home Affairs sets a separate minimum for each of the four components, and they are not the same number.
| Level (points) | Test | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competent (0 pts) | PTE Academic | 47 | 48 | 51 | 54 |
| Proficient (10 pts) | PTE Academic | 58 | 59 | 69 | 76 |
| Superior (20 pts) | PTE Academic | 69 | 70 | 85 | 88 |
| Competent (0 pts) | IELTS (either module) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Proficient (10 pts) | IELTS (either module) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Superior (20 pts) | IELTS (either module) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Proficient (10 pts) | CELPIP General | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
| Proficient (10 pts) | TOEFL iBT | 22 | 22 | 26 | 24 |
Look at the PTE rows again. To move from 10 points to 20, Listening has to rise 11 marks and Reading 11 — but Writing has to rise 16 and Speaking 12, from an already high 76. The 20-point level is not one step up from the 10-point level; it is a different project, and for most candidates it is measured in months. That arithmetic is the whole reason CCL exists in people's plans.
If you are still choosing between tests rather than chasing a level, our comparison of the English tests accepted in 2026 sets out what each one is for. For the visa-by-visa score tables, see CELPIP vs PTE vs IELTS for an Australian visa.
Why CCL comes after PTE, not instead of it
People sometimes ask whether they can skip the English test and take CCL instead. You cannot, and the reason is structural rather than tactical.
- English is a gate; CCL is an add-on. Competent English is an eligibility requirement for the skilled visas themselves, and your partner's 5 points also depend on their Competent English. CCL is not a requirement for anything — it is 5 points you either have or do not.
- CCL does not replace an English level. Passing CCL never turns Competent into Proficient. The two rows are added, not substituted.
- The order is about information. Your PTE result tells you how far you are from the next English band. Only then do you know whether 5 CCL points close your gap or whether you still need the English. Booking CCL before you know your PTE numbers is buying a part before you have measured the hole.
In practice the sequence that works is: sit PTE, read the four component scores against the table above, then decide. If you are 5 points short of an invitation and your English is already at the level you can realistically hold, CCL is the cheaper and faster of the two remaining moves. If you are 10 or 15 points short, CCL alone will not get you there and the English has to move too.
What the CCL test actually is
NAATI states it directly: the CCL test is “not a professional certification”. You are not becoming an interpreter. You are demonstrating that you can carry meaning between English and another language, and NAATI publishes the mechanics:
| Format | Two pre-recorded conversations (“dialogues”), each about 300 words, roughly half in English and half in the other language |
| Marks | 90 total — 45 per dialogue |
| Pass mark | 63 or more overall, and at least 29 in each dialogue |
| Fee | A$814 |
| Results | Emailed within 4–6 weeks |
| Languages | 55, including Russian, Ukrainian, Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi and Punjabi |
Two numbers in that table decide most outcomes. The first is the 29-per-dialogue floor: a candidate who is strong on one topic and lost on the other can score 63 overall and still fail. The second is 4–6 weeks for results — CCL is not a last-minute fix before an invitation round.
What this means for you
- Find out which side of 65, 70 or 75 points you are on before you buy anything. The points table above is public; add your own rows honestly, including age, which falls at 33 and again at 40.
- Sit the English test first. The four component numbers are the only thing that tells you whether the next band is one month away or six.
- Treat CCL as 5 points, not as insurance. It is a fixed, one-off 5 — useful when you are exactly 5 short, not a substitute for an English level you have not reached.
- Budget the calendar, not just the money. A$814 and 4–6 weeks for CCL; a re-sit of PTE plus preparation is usually longer than people plan for.
- Check the rules against your own case with a registered migration agent. This page sets out published tables; it is not advice about your application, your occupation or your invitation prospects.
FAQ
How many points is NAATI CCL worth in Australia?
Five. The Home Affairs points table lists “Hold a recognised qualification in a credentialled community language” at 5 points, and for most applicants the CCL test is how that credential is obtained.
How many points do I get for English?
Zero for Competent English, 10 for Proficient and 20 for Superior. Competent English earns no points but is still required for the visa itself, which is why so many people are surprised by the zero.
What PTE score do I need for 10 points?
For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025: Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69, Speaking 76 — every component, not an average. For 20 points: Listening 69, Reading 70, Writing 85, Speaking 88.
Can NAATI CCL replace the English test?
No. CCL is a community-language credential, not an English test, and it does not change your English level. The two claims are added together on the points test.
What is the NAATI CCL pass mark?
63 out of 90, with at least 29 marks in each of the two dialogues. Passing overall while failing one dialogue is the most common way candidates lose the test.
How long does a NAATI CCL result take?
NAATI sends results by email within 4–6 weeks of the test.
Is CCL available in my language?
NAATI lists 55 CCL languages, including Russian and Ukrainian. The list changes — check NAATI's own page for the current sitting dates in your language before you plan around it.
Our NAATI CCL course
Green School, an online school in Australia, has taught English exam preparation since 2018 to more than 3,500 students. NAATI CCL is our niche course rather than our main one, and it exists because so many of our PTE students turned out to be exactly 5 points short.
Tatiana Green, director of Green School and author of the NAATI CCL course, wrote the materials herself and recorded the dialogues with native speakers, then ran the course with multiple cohorts over more than three years. Candidates report a 95% pass rate — measured on the results students report back to us, not on NAATI data.
👉 NAATI CCL preparation, one-to-one — or start with PTE: IELTS, PTE and CELPIP group preparation. Who we are and how to verify it: our school facts page.
Nothing on this page is migration advice. It sets out published tables; for your own application, speak to your own registered migration agent.
Sources
- Department of Home Affairs, Points table for Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) — English rows, credentialled community language row and its wording: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-independent-189/points-table (checked 18 September 2026)
- Department of Home Affairs, Competent English — component scores for tests from 7 August 2025: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/.../competent-english (checked 18 September 2026)
- Department of Home Affairs, Proficient English: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/.../proficient-english (checked 18 September 2026)
- Department of Home Affairs, Superior English: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/.../superior-english (checked 18 September 2026)
- NAATI, CCL test — format, marking, pass mark, fee, results timing, languages: naati.com.au/migration-assessments/ccl (checked 18 September 2026)
Checked 18 September 2026 against the sources above. Points tables and score tables change; we update this page when they do.