- CGFNS has lowered the passing score for the Pearson PTE Academic speaking section from 63 to 50.
- The change benefits healthcare professionals seeking VisaScreen certification for U.S. employment eligibility.
- Applicants are encouraged to act quickly as the lower score threshold may be temporary.
(UNITED STATES) — CGFNS lowered the passing score for the English speaking section of the Pearson PTE Academic test from 63 to 50 as of February 2025, easing one part of the language requirement for healthcare professionals seeking VisaScreen certification to work in the United States.
The change, announced on February 7, 2025, applies to healthcare workers applying for VisaScreen certification, a requirement for many foreign-trained nurses and other healthcare workers pursuing U.S. employment eligibility.
For candidates trying to qualify, the shift reduces the score needed on the speaking section of the Pearson PTE Academic exam. That means applicants who can meet the new threshold may now clear a step that previously blocked them under the higher standard.
VisaScreen certification sits at the center of the change because it is required for many foreign-trained healthcare workers who want to work in the United States. By lowering the speaking benchmark, CGFNS widened access to that certification for people who meet the revised English requirement.
Before the update, applicants needed a 63 on the PTE Academic speaking section. Under the revised policy, they need a 50.
That reduction affects foreign-trained nurses and other healthcare professionals who depend on VisaScreen certification as part of their path to U.S. work eligibility. In practical terms, the lower speaking score makes it easier for qualified healthcare professionals to satisfy the English language portion of the process.
CGFNS also indicated the lower score may not remain in place indefinitely. The organization signaled that the requirement could increase again in the future.
That temporary element adds urgency for candidates weighing next steps. Healthcare workers who qualify under the current standard may face a narrower window if CGFNS later raises the threshold.
For people who already sat the Pearson PTE Academic test, the revision creates an immediate reason to revisit prior results. Candidates who previously did not pass with a score of 50 or higher may want to review their scores to determine whether they now meet the VisaScreen certification requirement.
For others who have not yet taken the exam, the change may alter both timing and preparation plans. Scheduling the test soon may be advisable because CGFNS has not presented the lower threshold as a permanent measure.
The adjustment carries weight for foreign-trained nurses in particular, because VisaScreen certification often stands between professional qualifications earned abroad and the ability to pursue work in the U.S. healthcare system. Other healthcare workers covered by the certification requirement also stand to benefit from the lower speaking score.
English testing standards can shape how long an applicant spends moving toward U.S. employment. A lower required score on the speaking portion of Pearson PTE Academic may shorten that path for some candidates by removing the need to aim for the earlier benchmark of 63.
The effect is not universal. Candidates still need to meet the revised standard, and the change addresses the speaking section of the PTE Academic exam rather than every part of the broader immigration and professional credentialing process.
Even so, the revision marks a concrete shift in the threshold that applicants must reach. A score once deemed insufficient under CGFNS rules may now satisfy the speaking requirement for VisaScreen certification if it is at least 50.
That matters because test score requirements often determine whether a qualified healthcare worker can advance or must try again. Moving the pass mark downward opens the certification route to applicants who fell short of 63 but reached the newly accepted level.
The February 7, 2025 announcement therefore carries implications beyond a simple testing update. It affects how candidates assess old results, decide whether to book a new exam date, and plan their efforts around a standard that CGFNS has indicated may later change again.
For candidates who had paused their plans after missing the former mark, the policy offers a fresh calculation. Some may now find that their existing Pearson PTE Academic speaking score clears the English hurdle attached to VisaScreen certification.
Others may respond by accelerating their testing schedule. With the lower standard described as potentially temporary, waiting could expose applicants to the possibility that the required score rises again after February 2025.
The change may also influence preparation strategies. Applicants targeting VisaScreen certification can now prepare against a speaking requirement of 50 rather than 63, a difference that may shape how they approach the exam and their timelines for seeking U.S. healthcare work.
CGFNS did not frame the lower score as a permanent reset. By signaling that the requirement could increase in the future, the organization left open the prospect that current conditions may not last.
That message creates a narrow but meaningful opening for some healthcare workers. Foreign-trained professionals who were previously outside the pass range for the speaking section may now be able to move ahead if they act while the revised standard remains in place.
The policy shift lands in an area where small numerical changes can have large effects on individual cases. A required score dropping from 63 to 50 may determine whether an applicant must retest or can proceed with VisaScreen certification using an existing result.
For many foreign-trained nurses and healthcare workers, that difference touches more than a testing record. It can affect when they become eligible to continue the process tied to working in the United States.
The lowered passing score also stands out because it applies to a widely recognized English test used by international candidates. Pearson PTE Academic now carries a more accessible speaking benchmark for applicants seeking to meet the English requirement through CGFNS for VisaScreen certification.
Candidates reviewing their options face two immediate questions under the revised policy: whether a past score now qualifies, and whether they should schedule a test promptly if they have not taken one yet. Both decisions flow from the same point — CGFNS lowered the requirement, but has also indicated the lower mark may not stay.
That combination of access and uncertainty defines the current moment for affected applicants. The threshold is easier to meet now, yet the possibility of a future increase means candidates may not want to assume the opportunity will remain open indefinitely.
For healthcare professionals pursuing U.S. work eligibility, the announcement redraws the map of one credentialing step without removing its importance. VisaScreen certification still matters, and the English speaking standard attached to it now stands at 50 on the Pearson PTE Academic test instead of 63.
The result is a narrower barrier for many foreign-trained nurses and other healthcare workers seeking to move forward. Whether they act by reviewing an old score report or booking a new exam, candidates now face a changed standard — and a temporary window that CGFNS has suggested could close.
