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Two Pathways to Gain CCL Points – 5 Points
NAATI CCL Test – Pathway One
Register and pass a NAATI CCL Test if your language is available on the list of 55 CCL languages for testing.
NAATI Certification Test – Pathway Two
- Register and pass a NAATI certification test for your LOTE. This will be a more challenging test as the NAATI certification test not only warrants you the 5 points, but also offers you the career pathway to become a true translator or interpreter.
- If you can’t find your language on the CCL list, then you may consider the Certified Provisional Interpreter (CPI) test or the Certified Translator (CT) test as an alternative.
Available CCL Languages
| 🗣️ CCL Languages | ||
|---|---|---|
| 🇿🇦 Afrikaans (South Africa) | 🇬🇧 Arabic (Middle East/North Africa) | 🇧🇩 Bangla (Bangladesh) |
| 🇧🇦 Bosnian (Bosnia & Herzegovina) | 🇧🇬 Bulgarian (Bulgaria) | 🇲🇲 Burmese (Myanmar) |
| 🇭🇰 Cantonese (Hong Kong) | 🇭🇷 Croatian (Croatia) | 🇨🇿 Czech (Czech Republic) |
| 🇦🇫 Dari (Afghanistan) | 🇳🇱 Dutch (Netherlands) | 🇧🇹 Dzongkha (Bhutan) |
| 🇵🇭 Filipino (Philippines) | 🇫🇮 Finnish (Finland) | 🇫🇷 French (France) |
| 🇩🇪 German (Germany) | 🇬🇷 Greek (Greece) | 🇮🇳 Gujarati (India) |
| 🇦🇫 Hazaragi (Afghanistan) | 🇮🇳 Hindi (India) | 🇭🇺 Hungarian (Hungary) |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesian (Indonesia) | 🇳🇬 Igbo (Nigeria) | 🇮🇹 Italian (Italy) |
| 🇯🇵 Japanese (Japan) | 🇮🇳 Kannada (India) | 🇰🇭 Khmer (Cambodia) |
| 🇰🇷 Korean (South Korea) | 🇲🇰 Macedonian (North Macedonia) | 🇲🇾 Malay (Malaysia) |
| 🇮🇳 Malayalam (India) | 🇨🇳 Mandarin (China) | 🇮🇳 Marathi (India) |
| 🇳🇵 Nepali (Nepal) | 🇮🇳 Odia (India) | 🇦🇫 Pashto (Afghanistan) |
| 🇮🇷 Persian (Iran) | 🇵🇱 Polish (Poland) | 🇵🇹 Portuguese (Portugal) |
| 🇮🇳 Punjabi (India) | 🇷🇴 Romanian (Romania) | 🇷🇺 Russian (Russia) |
| 🇷🇸 Serbian (Serbia) | 🇱🇰 Sinhalese (Sri Lanka) | 🇸🇴 Somali (Somalia) |
| 🇪🇸 Spanish (Spain) | 🇰🇪 Swahili (Kenya/Tanzania) | 🇮🇳 Tamil (India) |
| 🇮🇳 Telugu (India) | 🇹🇭 Thai (Thailand) | 🇹🇷 Turkish (Turkey) |
| 🇺🇦 Ukrainian (Ukraine) | 🇵🇰 Urdu (Pakistan) | 🇻🇳 Vietnamese (Vietnam) |
| 🇳🇬 Yoruba (Nigeria) |
NAATI CCL Test – Language Level
NAATI CCL Test – Language Level
- As NAATI clearly states that the candidates of a CCL test should be equipped with upper-intermediate language skills in both English and their chosen LOTE. It is equivalent to B2 Level.
An Example to Illustrate the Contrast
| Segments | Expected CCL Language | Expected CPI Language |
| Segment 1 | -We believe your child may have become quite unwell after eating undercooked and possibly contaminated chicken bought from a shop. | – We suspect that the paediatric patient may have sustained significant gastrointestinal trauma following the ingestion of contaminated and inadequately cooked poultry, reportedly purchased from a commercial food outlet. |
| Segment 3 | -The test results aren’t back yet, but based on the symptoms and what you’ve told us, we think it could be a foodborne infection. | – Although the pathology results are still pending, there is a clinical suspicion of a Salmonella infection, based on the presenting symptoms and history of exposure. |
The Difference is based on the Language Level required for NAATI CCL.
| CCL Segment Design | Most segments should contain 25–35 words. |
| Candidates are not expected to work as interpreters if they pass the test. | |
| Language Level – B2 Equivalence | Language used must be understood by laypeople. |
| Almost no technical terms should be included. | |
| Vocabulary and expressions should be common and accessible. | |
| Logic and Structure of Segments | The logic in each segment should be straightforward. |
| Segments are not expected to be too wordy or complex. | |
| Sentences should focus on clarity and simplicity. |
Do Not Get Yourself Into Trouble
❌ No headphones
❌ No other person in the room (accidentally or intentionally)
❌ No second monitor
❌ No multiple devices in the room
Differences between the NAATI CCL Test and NAATI Certification Test
Many students and new immigrants are confused about the differences between the NAATI Certification Exam and the CCL Exam. Both exams are language proficiency tests organised by NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters), yet their purposes, applications, and exam content differ significantly.
1. NAATI Certification Exam (For Occupational Qualification)
🔹 Target Audience
✅ Individuals who wish to become professional translators or interpreters.
✅ Those who need to meet skilled migration requirements (e.g. for visa subclasses 190 or 491 when applying for translation/interpreting occupations). This requires further explanation.
🔹 Certification Categories
The NAATI Certification Exam covers multiple levels and categories, such as:
📌 Certified Translator — Certification for translation professionals.
📌 Certified Interpreter — Certification for professional interpreters.
📌 Certified Provisional Interpreter — For novice interpreters.
📌 Certified Specialist Interpreter — Advanced certification for specialised interpreting, such as in medical or legal fields.
🔹 Exam Content
- Translation Exam: Includes translating specified texts (usually from English to the target language & vice versa), translation analysis, and ethics.
- Interpreting Exam: Assesses consecutive interpreting, dialogue interpreting, note-taking skills, and interpreting ethics.
- High Difficulty Level, requiring professional skills and linguistic precision; candidates typically need formal training or experience before passing.
🔹 Certification Uses
✅ Becoming a NAATI-certified translator/interpreter allows you to provide official translation or interpreting services in Australia.
✅ It can also serve as a points-earning occupation for skilled migration (translation and interpreting occupation codes 272413 & 272414).
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NAATI Interpreting Certification Exam CPI – Border Drug Suspicions 1
NAATI Interpreting Certification Exam CPI – Legal Contract Challenges 2
NAATI Interpreting Certification Exam CPI – License Suspension Dilemma 3
NAATI Interpreting Certification Exam CPI – DVO and Mediation 4
NAATI Interpreting Certification Exam CPI – Child Settlement 5
NAATI Interpreting Certification Exam CPI – Legal Defence Talks 6
2. CCL (Community Credentialed Language) Exam (For Migration Points)
🔹 Target Audience
✅ Primarily aimed at those who wish to gain extra points for Australian immigration, rather than those who intend to become professional translators/interpreters.
✅ CCL does not grant NAATI certification; passing the CCL does not qualify one as a “NAATI-certified translator/interpreter”, and thus you cannot provide NAATI-certified translation services.
🔹 Exam Content
📌 The CCL primarily tests the ability to interpret everyday community dialogues bidirectionally.
📌 Format: There is no written component. It involves Dialogue Interpreting, where candidates must interpret between English and the target language.
📌 Topics include daily conversations in areas such as healthcare, education, law, finance, employment, and community services.
📌 Lower Difficulty Level, focusing on accurately conveying the conversation rather than advanced translation or interpreting skills.
🔹 Certification Uses
✅ Candidates who pass the CCL exam can gain an extra 5 points under the Community Language (Credentialed Community Language, CCL) category for Australian migration EOI applications (applicable to visas such as subclasses 189, 190, and 491).
✅ CCL certification cannot be used for formal NAATI-certified translation/interpreting work.
3. Main Comparison Table
| Comparison | NAATI Certification Exam | CCL Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | To obtain professional certification for translators/interpreters, becoming NAATI-certified | To earn an extra 5 points for Australian skilled migration |
| Target Audience | Those who wish to work as professional translators or interpreters | Those who only require additional migration points and do not intend to work as translators/interpreters |
| Exam Content | Professional translation/interpreting exams (high difficulty) | Bidirectional interpreting of everyday community dialogues (simpler) |
| Exam Format | Written translation exam / Interpreting exam | Interpreting exam (dialogue mode) |
| Subject Areas | Specialised fields such as healthcare, law, business, technology, etc. | Daily life and community matters |
| NAATI Certification Granted | ✅ Yes, formal NAATI certification is awarded | ❌ No, used only for migration points |
| Eligibility for Professional Work | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Used for Migration Points | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (extra 5 points) |
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How to Successfully Pass the NAATI CCL Exam for Skilled Migration Points?
4. Conclusion
🔹 If you wish to become a professional translator/interpreter and pursue related employment, you need to pass the NAATI Certification Exam.
🔹 If you only need to gain an extra 5 points for migration, passing the CCL Exam is sufficient, but it does not qualify you to work as a professional translator/interpreter.
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