The makers of a computer-automated English test have defended their product and say native speakers shouldn't assume they will get a perfect score.
An Irish vet and an Australian citizen have both publicly slammed the Pearson Test of English (PTE) in recent days after their spoken word test results failed to meet visa and nursing entry requirements.
Pearson Asia Pacific head of English Sasha Hampson told AAP she could not comment on individual cases but said the test was about demonstrating knowledge of particular skills.
"Nobody has perfect mastery of the English language," she said on Wednesday.
"People should not assume that because you're a native speaker you will automatically get a perfect score."
Ms Hampson likened the three-hour test - which examines listening, writing, reading and speaking - to any other exam.
"We're dealing with people and there are variables that can occur on the test day," she said, referring to the fact people could get nervous.
Ms Hampson said it was also for that reason it was better to have a computer rather than another person evaluating answers.
"With automated scoring it doesn't matter where you go in the world, you're going to be tested in exactly the same way," she said.
Ms Hampson said automation removed variables like cultural-linguistic bias, personality differences and tiredness.
Irish vet Louise Kennedy told AAP on Tuesday she failed to get the speaking score she needed to meet Department of Immigration requirements to renew her Australian work visa.
A Melbourne woman who once worked as a news reader revealed on Wednesday she received 62 out of 90 in the spoken part of the test.
It was eight points less than she needed to become a registered nurse.
The woman said she didn't think the software was "as sophisticated as it ought to be" to detect nuances or accents.
But Ms Hampson said more than 10,000 people from around the world had been involved in testing for the automated system.
They included native, non-native speakers and those with regional dialects.
Ms Hampson said there was an option for participants of the PTE test to be rescored or appeal their mark.
