The Points Test for Skilled Migration: How to Score 65+

Australia runs most of its skilled migration through a single merit ranking called the points test. You do not apply for the visa directly. Instead you lodge a free Expression of Interest (EOI) in an online system called SkillSelect, the system gives you an indicative points score, and the Department of Home Affairs periodically runs 'invitation rounds' that invite the highest-scoring people in each occupation to actually apply. No invitation, no application.

The points test governs three visas. The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is fully permanent and needs no sponsor - you live and work anywhere in Australia. The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is also permanent but requires a state or territory government to nominate you (worth +5 points). The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is a 5-year provisional visa requiring regional state nomination or eligible-relative sponsorship (worth +15 points), and leads to permanent residence via the subclass 191 after meeting income and residence conditions.

Before any of this, you need two things the points test assumes you already have: a skilled occupation on the relevant occupation list, and a positive skills assessment from the assessing authority for that occupation (for example Engineers Australia for engineers, ACS for IT, CPA/CA ANZ for accountants, AHPRA-linked bodies for health roles). The skills assessment is separate from, and a precondition of, the points test.

Volatile-rules warning: occupation lists, invitation volumes and cut-off scores change frequently, sometimes mid-year. Always confirm the current rules on homeaffairs.gov.au before making any decision.

Below is the complete breakdown of how points are awarded. The same factors apply across subclasses 189, 190 and 491; the only differences are the nomination/sponsorship points at the bottom.

• Age (at time of invitation): 18-24 = 25 points; 25-32 = 30 points; 33-39 = 25 points; 40-44 = 15 points; 45 and over = 0 (and ineligible).

• English language: Competent (about IELTS 6 in each band, or equivalent PTE/TOEFL/OET) = 0 points but is the mandatory minimum; Proficient (about IELTS 7) = 10 points; Superior (about IELTS 8) = 20 points.

• Skilled employment OUTSIDE Australia (in your nominated or a closely related occupation, in the last 10 years): under 3 years = 0; 3-4 years = 5; 5-7 years = 10; 8-10 years = 15 points.

• Skilled employment IN Australia (last 10 years): under 1 year = 0; 1-2 years = 5; 3-4 years = 10; 5-7 years = 15; 8-10 years = 20 points. Important cap: overseas plus Australian employment points combined cannot exceed 20.

• Educational qualifications: Doctorate (PhD) from an Australian or recognised overseas institution = 20; Bachelor degree (including Bachelor with Honours/Masters) = 15; diploma or trade qualification = 10; a qualification recognised by your assessing authority as suitable for your occupation = 10.

• Australian study requirement: at least one degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian institution meeting the two-year study rule = 5 points.

• Specialist education qualification (STEM): a Masters by research or a Doctorate from an Australian institution including at least two academic years in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics field = 10 points.

• Credentialled community language (NAATI): a NAATI credential at the right level (the CCL test) = 5 points.

• Professional Year: a completed Professional Year program in Australia in accounting, IT or engineering, in the 4 years before invitation = 5 points.

• Study in regional Australia: completing the Australian study requirement while living and studying in a designated regional area = 5 points.

• Partner skills: skilled spouse/de facto partner (under 45, Competent English, on a relevant occupation list with a skills assessment, applying with you) = 10 points; partner with Competent English only = 5 points; single, OR partner is an Australian citizen/permanent resident = 10 points.

• Nomination/sponsorship: subclass 190 state/territory nomination = 5 points; subclass 491 regional nomination or eligible-relative sponsorship = 15 points. (These only apply to the relevant visa.)

This is the single most important thing to understand, and where a lot of people get hurt. 65 points only entitles you to sit in the SkillSelect pool. Invitations go to the highest scorers in each occupation first, working down until that occupation's allocation for the round is used up. If your occupation is popular, the 'cut-off' can sit far above 65.

In the first subclass 189 round of the 2025-26 program year (21 August 2025), the Department invited roughly 6,887 people. The cut-offs varied hugely by occupation: many trades (carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers) were invited at around 65-70 points; nursing and some health roles cleared around 65-80; secondary and special-education teachers needed about 85; and professional occupations such as engineering, science, accounting, ICT and law generally needed 90+ points. Some oversupplied niche roles pushed past 95-110.

The practical read: if you are in a trade or a genuine shortage occupation, 65-75 may genuinely be enough. If you are a professional (especially accounting or IT), plan for 85-95+ on subclass 189, or pivot to a state-nominated 190/491 pathway where the nomination points and separate state allocations make a lower base score competitive.

Cut-offs are not fixed - they move every round depending on demand, the annual migration program ceiling, and government priorities. Check the current invitation-round results on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au rather than relying on last year's numbers.

Most applicants can move their score meaningfully with a few targeted actions. Work through these in roughly this order.

• Sit (or re-sit) your English test for Superior. Going from Competent to Proficient is +10, and Proficient to Superior is another +10. That is up to 20 points for the price of an exam - usually the cheapest and fastest points available. PTE Academic is popular because re-sits are quick.

• Get state or regional nomination. A 491 nomination adds 15 points and opens regional pathways with their own allocations; a 190 adds 5 and gives permanent residence. Each state runs its own occupation lists and criteria, so check the relevant state migration website (for example NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland).

• Bank the partner points - or remove the penalty. A skilled partner is +10. If your partner cannot get a skills assessment, having them prove Competent English is still +5. And if you are single or your partner is already a citizen/PR, you automatically get +10, so make sure you are claiming it.

• Add a Professional Year (+5) or NAATI CCL credential (+5) if eligible. These are common, well-trodden routes for accounting, IT and engineering graduates in Australia.

• Mind the clock on age. Because you lose points at 33, 40 and entirely at 45, and because your age is fixed at the invitation date, an applicant near a threshold should prioritise getting their skills assessment and English done early so they can lodge before dropping a bracket.

• Use the official calculator first. The free SkillSelect points calculator on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au lets you model every scenario before you spend a cent. Tie your numbers to a calculator (including the one on this site) so you are not guessing.

Australian migration is heavily regulated for your protection. For a fee, only a migration agent registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA), or an Australian legal practitioner (immigration lawyer), can lawfully give you immigration assistance. You can always verify an agent's registration on the OMARA register before paying anyone.

If your case is straightforward - a clear shortage occupation, an easy skills assessment, strong English - many people self-lodge using only the free official tools. But if you have a complex work history, a borderline occupation match, prior visa refusals, health or character issues, or you are racing an age threshold, professional help is genuinely worth it.

Common scams to avoid: anyone charging you to apply for a Tax File Number (the TFN is free from the ATO at ato.gov.au), 'guaranteed PR' or 'guaranteed invitation' offers (no one can guarantee an invitation - it is a competitive points ranking), fake job offers requiring upfront payment, and unregistered 'consultants' on social media who are not on the OMARA register. If someone asks you to lie on your EOI or buy fake work references, walk away - providing false information leads to refusal and a re-entry ban.

Two more free, official touchpoints worth knowing: once you arrive, your Tax File Number comes from the ATO (ato.gov.au) and your Medicare enrolment from Services Australia (servicesaustralia.gov.au) - never pay a third-party site for either.

The points test and the EOI are free. Lodging an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect costs nothing, which is why you should get your numbers right with a calculator before spending money on tests and assessments.

The big cost arrives only after you are invited and lodge the visa. The first-instalment visa application charge for the primary applicant on a subclass 189/190/491 is in the order of AUD 4,765 (this figure increases on roughly 1 July each year and is subject to a small surcharge), with additional charges for a partner and each dependent child. Treat that as indicative and confirm the exact current charge on the Home Affairs visa pricing page before you budget.

Around that, plan for: a skills assessment (commonly AUD 300 to AUD 1,500+ depending on the assessing body), English testing (a few hundred dollars per sitting), and health examinations and police clearances. Across the whole journey, a single applicant should realistically budget several thousand dollars beyond the visa charge itself.

Timing varies with your occupation's demand and current processing times. The sequence is always the same though: skills assessment and English first, then EOI, then wait for an invitation, then the paid visa application. Build in buffer time, especially if you are approaching an age bracket.