AMEP eligibility

If you are aged 18 or over, you can join the AMEP if you speak little or no English and

• you are a permanent resident, or
• you hold an eligible temporary visa (174KB PDF), or
• you are a citizen who held an eligible visa in the past.

If you are aged 15 to 17, you may be able to join the AMEP. Talk to a provider.

Your eligible visa start date decides the time you have to join and learn English with the AMEP.

If your AMEP eligible visa started on or before 1 October 2020

You can stay in the AMEP until you reach a vocational level of English. You have no time limits for starting and finishing the program.

If your AMEP eligible visa started after 1 October 2020

You have time limits for registering, starting and finishing the program from your eligible ​visa start date.

You must:

• register with an AMEP provider within 6 months
• start your course within 12 months
• complete your course within 5 years.

In some cases, you may be allowed to register later or stay in the program longer. Talk to your AMEP provider to find out.