CCL guides

NAATI CCL Languages: Full List and Test Frequency

Updated 7 September 2026 · facts checked against NAATI and Home Affairs pages on that date

Before anything else, check that your language is on the list and that a session exists in a timeframe that suits your visa application. You can practise a full dialogue free at /practice while you wait for a date.

The full list of CCL test languages

The CCL test is currently available in the following languages:

Afrikaans (pending candidate demand), Arabic, Bangla, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cantonese, Croatian, Czech, Dari, Dutch, Dzongkha, Filipino, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hazaragi, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Igbo, Italian, Japanese, Kannada, Khmer, Korean, Macedonian, Malay, Malayalam, Mandarin, Marathi, Nepali, Odia (formerly known as Oriya), Pashto, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Sinhalese, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Yoruba.

That is 55 languages, and NAATI notes that it regularly adds more based on community demand. Two things follow. First, if your language is not there today, it is worth re-checking the CCL page rather than assuming the answer is permanent. Second, the language you speak at home may be listed under a name you do not use — Bangla rather than Bengali, Odia rather than Oriya, Filipino rather than Tagalog, Persian rather than Farsi.

We cover 50 of these languages with practice dialogues; you can see which ones at /languages.

How often your language is tested

NAATI's published schedule for the CCL is straightforward: tests are run frequently, with high demand languages tested every month and low demand languages tested at least 4 times per year.

NAATI does not publish which languages sit in which group, so the only reliable way to find out is to search the upcoming test dates for your language. Note that test dates are shown live, which means they may already have been booked by other candidates by the time you go to book through myNAATI. The test date search page also warns that its own search function is not live, refreshes daily, and only displays test dates with available seats.

Two dates matter for planning. Bookings for CCL test sessions close 1 week prior to the test date, after which the session is no longer available for booking. And rescheduling is allowed up to 8 days before the test, at no cost, through your myNAATI account. If your language is tested four times a year rather than monthly, missing a booking window can cost you months, so treat the closing date as the real deadline. The test dates and booking guide has the full sequence.

All tests are scheduled and listed in Sydney/Melbourne time (AET), so check how your time zone aligns with the time listed.

The level required in both languages

The CCL test requires you to have upper intermediate language skills in both languages, which NAATI states is equivalent to B2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. There are no training prerequisites to sit the test.

The word "both" is the one people skip. Candidates must demonstrate accurate comprehension and production in both English and the other test language, and must be able to exchange simple information from one language to another without deviating too much from normal pronunciation, standard of expression, style and register. Marks are deducted for quality of language in either direction.

In practice, most candidates are much stronger in one language than the other, and the weaker one sets the ceiling. NAATI's own advice is to immerse yourself in the language in which you are least confident: if your first language is English, listen to and talk as much as you can in your other language; if your first language is another language, listen to and use as much English as possible.

Regional variation: Policy A

NAATI publishes a language policy for CCL tests so candidates understand how examiners assess language use. Policy A deals with variation — the different ways people from different regional areas or social groups use the same language.

It recognises that variations in vocabulary and usage may arise in the same language as spoken in different countries: Portuguese in Portugal and in Brazil, French in France and in Canada, English between Australia and other English-speaking countries. Individuals sitting a CCL test must be able to understand regional variations within the language, and examiner panels are aware of regional variations and make allowances for this during the marking process.

So a regional accent or a regional word is not automatically a problem. But several languages have tighter, published requirements:

• Bulgarian, French, German, Russian, Ukrainian: candidates are expected to express themselves in non-dialectal or standard forms, with country-specific terms used only to a limited extent.
• Burmese: the test uses Standard Burmese, and non-standard Burmese that most Burmese speakers cannot understand is penalised.
• Japanese: the standard form (Hyojungo) is expected, and dialect and slang expressions should be avoided.
• Hazaragi: dialects are accepted where an average Hazara person living in Hazaristan would understand them, but use of non-Hazaragi words is penalised.
• Bangla: the test uses Chalit Bangla, the Modern Colloquial Standard based on contemporary spoken Bangla.
• Italian: candidates need to use Standard Italian, although regional intonation is treated as natural variation.
• Dutch: Flemish variation is allowed for, but Friesian and Afrikaans are not acceptable.

Read the entry for your language before you book. It is short, and it occasionally contains a rule you would never guess.

Languages that are easy to confuse

Several pairs and groups cause avoidable failures because candidates nominate the wrong language or mix two of them in the test:

The Indonesian and Malay entry is the sharpest warning in the whole policy, because it names failure as a possible outcome of mixing the two. If you grew up moving between them, choose the one you can keep clean for two full dialogues.

English words in your language

Policy B covers borrowing. NAATI recognises that there are languages in which English words are regularly and commonly used by LOTE speakers, and that this usage is widely understood within the LOTE-speaking community in Australia. You will not be penalised where the English word is regularly and commonly used by LOTE speakers, and limited use is appropriate where it is part of the language norms and conventions.

The limits are language-specific. Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam, Punjabi, Odia and Dzongkha all penalise English numerals, and several require figures given in millions to be converted to lakhs or crores. Persian allows only English words with no Persian substitute. Urdu accepts limited Hindi as well as English where most Urdu speakers in Australia would understand it. Ukrainian penalises excessive Anglicisms where a common Ukrainian word exists. There is a full guide on English words in the LOTE, and the same theme appears in the common mistakes guide.

Choosing your language and starting practice

If you speak more than one listed language well, the deciding factors are the frequency of sessions and your genuine B2 level in the harder direction — not which language feels more familiar at home. Both dialogues are about topics that reflect real-life situations in Australian society, so the vocabulary you need is Australian institutional vocabulary: Medicare, Centrelink, a rental bond, superannuation, a police check. Browse the whole set at /terms/.

Our practice library has 2,241 dialogues written to the same specification as the test — two speakers, segments of 35 words or fewer, around 300 words each — across 50 test languages, and the AI marking shows segment by segment what was retained, omitted or distorted. The score is our model's estimate, not a NAATI result. For a broader orientation, start with the beginners guide.

Pick your language and run a free dialogue today at /practice.

Frequently asked questions

How many languages does the NAATI CCL test cover?

The CCL test is currently available in 55 languages. NAATI regularly adds more languages based on community demand, so the list on the CCL page is the one to check before you apply.

How often is the NAATI CCL test run in my language?

Tests in each language are run at least 4 times per year, and monthly for high demand languages. Test dates are shown live, which means a session may already have been booked by other candidates by the time you go to book through myNAATI.

What level of language do I need for the NAATI CCL test?

The CCL test requires upper intermediate language skills in both languages. NAATI states this is equivalent to B2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Will my regional dialect be marked down?

Under Policy A, NAATI recognises that variations in vocabulary and usage arise in the same language spoken in different countries. Examiner panels are aware of regional variations and make allowances for this during marking, and you must be able to understand regional variations within the language.

Are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian tested separately?

Yes. In line with Australian government policy, NAATI treats Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian as different languages, each with its own characteristics. No tests are held in Serbo-Croatian, and candidates must nominate which of the three they want to be tested in.

Is Indonesian the same as Malay for the CCL test?

No. NAATI considers Indonesian and Malay to be two languages, with identifiable differences in vocabulary, grammatical structures and pronunciation. If a candidate produces an excessive number of usages from the other language, examiners may decide to fail the candidate for that reason.

Can I sit the CCL test in Punjabi?

NAATI testing is in Punjabi (Eastern). Punjabi (Western) is not currently offered. Occasional English or regional words are accepted where most Punjabi speakers in Australia would understand them, but English numerals are penalised.

Sources

• https://www.naati.com.au/migration-assessments/ccl/
• https://www.naati.com.au/resources/language-policy-ccl/
• https://www.naati.com.au/test-date/

Facts checked against NAATI and Home Affairs pages on 7 September 2026.

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