The National Innovation visa (Subclass 858) does not require a high PTE score. For applicants aged 18 or older, the relevant standard is Functional English. If you use PTE Academic, the current PTE score needed for the 858 visa is 24 overall for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025. There is also another important option: if someone has less than Functional English, they can choose to pay the second part of the visa application fee instead.
On This Page
- What Is the PTE Score for an 858 Visa?
- Who Needs Functional English for the National Innovation Visa?
- Does Functional English Mean PTE 24 in Every Skill?
- You Can Pay the Second Instalment Instead of Proving Functional English
- How to choose this option
- PTE Is Not the Only Way to Prove Functional English
- Eligible passport evidence
- English-medium study
- How Recent Must Your PTE Result Be?
- Why Old PTE 30 Advice Is No Longer Current
- Do You Need PTE Before Submitting the National Innovation Visa EOI?
- What Happens After You Receive an 858 Invitation?
- Is a Higher PTE Score Useful for Subclass 858?
- Should You Take PTE or Pay the Second Instalment?
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the PTE Score for an 858 Visa?
The current 858 visa PTE requirement is based on Functional English.
| Requirement | Current position |
|---|---|
| English level | Functional English |
| Accepted Pearson test | PTE Academic |
| Minimum score | 24 overall |
| Individual skill minimums | None specified |
| Test-result period | Within 12 months before the visa application |
Unlike Competent or Proficient English, Functional English does not use four separate PTE component minimums. Home Affairs lists a single overall PTE Academic score of 24 for current tests.
For a detailed explanation of this English level itself, PTEClasses already has a separate Functional English PTE Score guide.
Who Needs Functional English for the National Innovation Visa?
The National Innovation visa English requirement applies to applicants who are 18 years or older at the time of application. That can include the main applicant as well as an adult family member included in the visa application. Home Affairs states that applicants in this age group need to provide Functional English evidence or deal with the second-instalment requirement.
This is different from some skilled visas where the main applicant needs a higher English level and dependents have a lower requirement. For Subclass 858, the relevant standard for adults is Functional English.
Does Functional English Mean PTE 24 in Every Skill?
No, A common mistake is to read “PTE 24” as:
- Listening 24
- Reading 24
- Writing 24
- Speaking 24
That is not the published rule. For functional English 858 visa purposes, PTE Academic requires 24 overall. There are no separate Functional English component minimums listed by Home Affairs. If you are checking practice results before sitting the test, the PTEClasses PTE Score Calculator can help you monitor your current performance.
You Can Pay the Second Instalment Instead of Proving Functional English
This is the part of the 858 English rules that matters most. Functional English is not an absolute pass-or-fail barrier to the National Innovation visa.
If an applicant aged 18 or older has less than Functional English, Home Affairs allows the person to pay an additional visa charge instead. The Department calls this the second installment.
As currently published, the second instalment for Subclass 858 is AUD 4,890. You do not pay it with the initial application. Home Affairs requests it only if the visa is going to be granted. .
How to choose this option
Home Affairs says that if you prefer to pay the second instalment rather than provide Functional English evidence, you should indicate that through ImmiAccount. This gives an applicant a genuine choice:
provide acceptable Functional English evidence, or
pay the second installment when requested.
That distinction should be considered before booking PTE purely because you think an English test is compulsory.
PTE Is Not the Only Way to Prove Functional English
A PTE for National Innovation visa application is only one possible evidence route. Functional English can also be demonstrated through certain passport or education evidence.
Eligible passport evidence
Home Affairs accepts a valid passport where the person is a citizen of:
- Canada
- New Zealand
- the Republic of Ireland
- the United Kingdom
- the United States of America
English-medium study
A test may also be unnecessary if you have completed qualifying education in English.
Examples include:
- a degree, higher degree, diploma or trade certificate involving at least two years of full-time study or training in English
- all years of primary school plus at least three years of secondary school taught in English
- at least five years of secondary education taught in English
- qualifying Australian study completed in English.
Checking this evidence first can save someone from sitting PTE when they already satisfy Functional English another way.
How Recent Must Your PTE Result Be?
If you use an approved English test for Functional English, Home Affairs requires the qualifying result to have been achieved within the 12 months before your visa application.
This is narrower than the validity periods people often associate with other Australian migration English levels. For the 858 visa, the practical question is not whether an old score is still visible in your Pearson account. It is whether it falls within the Home Affairs evidence period.
Why Old PTE 30 Advice Is No Longer Current
Before 7 August 2025, the PTE Academic threshold for Functional English was 30 overall. For tests taken from 7 August 2025, the current score is 24 overall. Home Affairs also states that pre-7 August 2025 Functional English test results could only be used under the transition arrangements until 6 August 2026, depending on the visa.
That transition period has now passed. For someone arranging new English evidence in 2026, the current PTE target is 24 overall.
Do You Need PTE Before Submitting the National Innovation Visa EOI?
The National Innovation visa process starts with an Expression of Interest, but the EOI itself is not a visa application. Home Affairs says the EOI is used to seek an invitation. If invited, the applicant then has 60 days to lodge the Subclass 858 visa application.
The Functional English requirement is tied to the visa application. That means the English question should not be confused with the invitation stage. An applicant still needs to plan ahead, particularly if they intend to use a PTE result within the required 12-month evidence window.
What Happens After You Receive an 858 Invitation?
An invitation allows you to proceed to the visa application, but it does not mean Home Affairs has already confirmed that you meet every visa requirement.
Home Affairs specifically says an invitation is not a pre-assessment of eligibility. If invited, you need to submit the visa application within 60 days and provide the required supporting evidence, including a completed Form 1000 from an eligible nominator.
This is the stage where your Functional English position needs to be dealt with properly. If you intend to use PTE, make sure the result is ready and within the accepted period. If you are choosing the second-instalment route instead, your application should reflect that intention.
Is a Higher PTE Score Useful for Subclass 858?
Not for migration points. The National Innovation visa is not a points-tested visa like Subclass 189, 190 or 491. There are no extra 10 or 20 points for Proficient or Superior English under the NIV process.
So if your only purpose is meeting the National Innovation visa English requirement, there is no immigration advantage in chasing a much higher PTE score than Functional English requires.
Your invitation prospects are driven by the National Innovation visa’s own priorities and your record of exceptional achievement, not by accumulating English-language points.
Should You Take PTE or Pay the Second Instalment?
There is no universal answer. For someone who already communicates comfortably in English and can reach PTE 24 without difficulty, taking the test may be straightforward. For another applicant, passport or education evidence may remove the need for a test completely.
And someone who cannot establish Functional English may prefer to use the 858 second instalment English option rather than delay the application for repeated English testing.
The sensible order is:
- check whether passport evidence works;
- check whether your education already proves Functional English;
- if not, decide whether taking PTE is practical;
- compare that with the second-instalment option.
This avoids taking an English test simply because you assumed it was mandatory.
Final Thoughts
For current applications, the PTE score for 858 visa purposes is 24 overall in PTE Academic. The requirement applies to applicants aged 18 or older, but PTE is not compulsory if another accepted form of Functional English evidence is available. If Functional English cannot be shown, the National Innovation visa also provides a second-instalment option rather than making the English result an automatic barrier to grant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find clear answers to common questions about this topic.
Can I use PTE Core for a National Innovation visa?
No. Home Affairs lists PTE Academic as the Pearson test accepted for Functional English. PTE Core should not be treated as interchangeable.
Does an applicant under 18 need Functional English?
The Subclass 858 requirement published by Home Affairs applies to applicants aged 18 years or older at the time of application.
Can I submit another EOI later if my circumstances change?
Yes. Home Affairs says another NIV EOI may be appropriate where there has been a significant change in circumstances or new achievement claims strengthen your case.
Does paying the second installment guarantee the visa?
No. The payment only deals with the Functional English issue. The applicant still needs to satisfy all other National Innovation visa criteria.
Is the second installment paid when the application is lodged?
No. Home Affairs says it will request the second instalment only if the visa is going to be granted.
Can an English-medium degree replace PTE?
Yes, provided the qualification meets the Functional English education rules, including the required length of study and English-medium instruction.
