India  : Educational Testing Service (ETS) welcomes the Australian Government announcement that the TOEFLiBT test can be used to demonstrate English-language competence for new skilled migration and post-study applications.

Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash, announced the change effective as of November 23.

David Payne, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Global Education for ETS, said the Government’s reform will help Australian employers address skill shortages by gaining better and broader access to the global pool of potential employees.

“ETS’s 50 years of experience in the Australian market showed us that employers were missing out in the global competition for skills due to disjointed visa English-language proficiency settings,” said Mr Payne. “Skilled migrants were choosing to go elsewhere, like the United States and Canada.”

The TOEFL test is the most widely accepted English-language assessment, administered in 180 countries, with more than 30 million people having taken the test worldwide.

“With the TOEFL test’s global reach, highly skilled migrants who had previously been inaccessible to Australian businesses will now be available to help these businesses compete and prosper,” said Mr Payne. “The acceptance of the TOEFL test provides the best chance of building on the current economic success and driving the innovation agenda by bringing the best and brightest from around the world.”

Accepting the TOEFL test for graduate, skilled, business, and work and holiday visas and the SkillSelect system will also make Australia a more attractive destination for international students.