If you are applying to CPA Australia for a migration skills assessment, English proficiency is one of the qualification-assessment requirements unless an exemption applies. For a PTE Academic test taken on or after 7 August 2025, the current PTE score for CPA Australia is 58 in Listening, 59 in Reading, 69 in Writing and 76 in Speaking. also checks whether the result is still within its accepted period and can be verified directly with Pearson.
On This Page
- Current CPA Australia PTE Requirement
- What CPA Australia Assesses Alongside English
- 1. Qualification level
- 2. Accounting competency areas
- 3. English proficiency
- Why Older CPA Guides Mention PTE 65
- How Long Can You Use a PTE Result?
- CPA Australia Must Be Able to Verify Your PTE Result
- Can You Be Exempt From the CPA Australia English Requirement?
- Can a Completed Accounting Professional Year Be Used Instead?
- Can You Apply Without English Test Evidence?
- Are Online or At-Home PTE Tests Accepted?
- Which Other English Tests Can CPA Australia Accept?
- CPA English Evidence and Australian Migration Points Are Separate
- How to Prepare for the CPA Score Pattern
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions
Current CPA Australia PTE Requirement
For a current PTE Academic result, CPA Australia requires:
| PTE Academic skill | Minimum score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 58 |
| Reading | 59 |
| Writing | 69 |
| Speaking | 76 |
There is no additional overall PTE minimum in CPA Australia’s published table. Each of these four results needs to meet its own threshold. If you are checking practice results against the CPA Australia PTE requirement, the PTEClasses PTE Score Calculator can help you review the modules separately.
What CPA Australia Assesses Alongside English
A qualifying PTE result does not by itself produce a suitable skills assessment. CPA Australia’s qualification assessment looks at three areas:
1. Qualification level
Your academic qualification must be assessed against the required Australian education standard.
2. Accounting competency areas
Your subjects are checked against the competency requirements for the occupation you nominate. CPA Australia currently assesses occupations including Accountant (General), Management Accountant, Taxation Accountant, External Auditor, Corporate Treasurer and Finance Manager.
3. English proficiency
Applicants who are not exempt must provide accepted English evidence. This distinction is useful because the CPA skills assessment PTE score only deals with the English component. Strong English does not fix missing accounting subjects, and a suitable accounting degree does not automatically remove the English requirement.
Why Older CPA Guides Mention PTE 65
The PTE scores changed in August 2025. For tests completed on or before 6 August 2025, CPA Australia used 65 in each of the four skills. For tests from 7 August 2025, the required scores became 58, 59, 69 and 76.
That change matters because the newer system is not simply easier. Listening and Reading are lower, but Writing and Speaking are higher than the old 65-each target. If you are sitting PTE now, prepare against the current table rather than an older accounting migration guide.
How Long Can You Use a PTE Result?
CPA Australia accepts English test results for up to three years from the test date, provided the score can still be verified.
There is an extra detail that can catch applicants out: the test report must still be within that period when the qualification assessment outcome is issued, not just when you submit the application. The same issue can arise with an update, review or assessment for another ANZSCO occupation.
If your PTE result is already close to three years old, check the dates before lodging.
CPA Australia Must Be Able to Verify Your PTE Result
CPA Australia asks for the official test report rather than a simple screenshot.
For PTE Academic, your score report should include both:
- The Score Report Code
- The Registration ID
CPA Australia says it cannot verify a PTE result without the score report code. This verification step is part of the English evidence process, so make sure the document you upload is the official Pearson report.
Can You Be Exempt From the CPA Australia English Requirement?
Yes, but the exemption is specific. For qualification-assessment applications submitted after 7 May 2026, CPA Australia exempts applicants who hold a valid passport from:
- Canada
- New Zealand
- the Republic of Ireland
- the United Kingdom
- the United States of America.
Applicants holding other passports still need to meet the published English requirement through an accepted route. The application date matters here. The passport exemption is not simply a timeless rule that can be applied to older assessments.
Can a Completed Accounting Professional Year Be Used Instead?
CPA Australia also accepts a completed Accounting Professional Year Program as English evidence for the qualification assessment.
The program itself has now closed to new participants. CPA Australia states that new enrolments ceased in 2025 and all program activity was to conclude by May 2026. People who already completed the program can still use their certificate and transcript where applicable.
For CPA qualification-assessment purposes, the Professional Year evidence does not carry the same three-year English-test expiry. This route is therefore mainly relevant to people who completed the program before it closed.
Can You Apply Without English Test Evidence?
You can ask CPA Australia to assess your academic qualifications without providing English evidence if your aim is to identify missing competency areas.
But there is a consequence: CPA Australia says this produces a negative skills assessment outcome. You can later complete the missing study and English requirement, then apply for an update.
That makes this option useful for diagnosis, not for someone expecting a suitable migration assessment immediately.
Are Online or At-Home PTE Tests Accepted?
No, CPA Australia only accepts recognised English tests completed at authorised test centres. Its migration FAQ specifically excludes home and online tests for qualification-assessment purposes. So PTE Academic CPA Australia evidence needs to come from the accepted test-centre format.
Which Other English Tests Can CPA Australia Accept?
PTE Academic is one option, not the only one. CPA Australia’s current English guidance also includes approved scores for tests such as IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced, CELPIP General, Michigan English Test and LANGUAGECERT Academic. If you choose a different test, use CPA Australia’s own score table for that test rather than an unofficial conversion.
CPA English Evidence and Australian Migration Points Are Separate
The accounting skills assessment PTE requirement should not be confused with migration points. CPA Australia uses English evidence to decide whether you satisfy its qualification-assessment requirements. It does not award visa points.
The current CPA PTE thresholds happen to match the PTE scores used for Proficient English in skilled migration, but the purpose is different. If you later use the same result for a visa or points claim, Home Affairs applies its own rules and evidence periods. The PTEClasses PTE for Australia PR guide covers that migration side separately.
How to Prepare for the CPA Score Pattern
The current CPA scores are uneven. Speaking has the highest threshold at 76, followed by Writing at 69. Listening and Reading sit lower.
If your practice results look like this:
- Listening 66
- Reading 63
- Writing 67
- Speaking 74
Your preparation problem is clear. Spending equal time across all four skills would not be efficient.
Focus on the two components still below target. The PTEClasses PTE Practice Questions can help you work on specific task types rather than repeatedly taking full tests without addressing the weak areas.
Final Thoughts
The current PTE score for CPA Australia qualification assessment is 58 Listening, 59 Reading, 69 Writing and 76 Speaking for tests taken from 7 August 2025. Before lodging, also check the age of the result, make sure Pearson verification details are available, and see whether the passport exemption or completed Professional Year evidence applies to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find clear answers to common questions about this topic.
Can I use PTE Core for a CPA Australia skills assessment?
CPA Australia’s published English table lists PTE Academic, not PTE Core. Use the test named in the current assessment rules.
Does CPA Australia accept certified copies of documents?
No. says it requires high-resolution colour scans of original documents rather than certified copies.
Can a skilled employment assessment be done before the qualification assessment?
No. assesses skilled employment after you have received a suitable qualification-assessment outcome for the nominated occupation.
How long is a CPA Australia skills assessment outcome valid?
CPA Australia states that its assessment outcome is valid for three years from the date of the outcome.
Can I add another ANZSCO occupation later?
Yes, while the existing application remains valid, CPA Australia allows additional services such as qualification assessment for another ANZSCO occupation.
Is CPA Australia membership required for a migration skills assessment?
No. Migration assessment and CPA Australia membership are separate processes with different purposes.
