Points Test

Skilled migration points calculator

The 189, 190, and 491 visas are points tested. Calculate your score against the current legislated categories, then read what the number means: 65 points is the floor for an invitation, and in most occupations invitations are decided above it.

Calculate your points See the full points table

Skilled migration points calculator

Select each category and your score updates instantly. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.

Core categories

Additional points (tick all that apply)

Estimated score 0

Have your score verified

This calculator is general information, not legal advice. Points are only awarded where the claim can be evidenced, and your assessed score may differ.

The full points table

Combined overseas and Australian employment is capped at 20 points. Most categories are assessed at the time of invitation, not the time of lodgement; the single or citizen-partner item is not, and can be lost if your relationship status changes during processing.

Age (at invitation)

18 to 24 25
25 to 32 30
33 to 39 25
40 to 44 15

English

Competent (IELTS 6.0 each band or equivalent) 0
Proficient (IELTS 7.0 each band) 10
Superior (IELTS 8.0 each band) 20

Overseas skilled employment (last 10 years)

3 to under 5 years 5
5 to under 8 years 10
8 years or more 15

Australian skilled employment (last 10 years)

1 to under 3 years 5
3 to under 5 years 10
5 to under 8 years 15
8 years or more 20

Qualifications

Doctorate 20
Bachelor degree or higher 15
Australian diploma or trade qualification, or a qualification your assessing authority recognises for your occupation 10

Additional points

Australian STEM research masters or doctorate 10
Australian study requirement met 5
Australian study in a designated regional area 5
Credentialled community language (NAATI CCL) 5
Professional Year completed 5

Partner

Partner applying for the same visa, under 45, with a suitable skills assessment and Competent English 10
Single, or partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident 10
Partner applying for the same visa, with Competent English only 5

Nomination or sponsorship

190 state or territory nomination 5
491 nomination or eligible family sponsorship 15

65 points is the floor, not the target

Reaching 65 points makes an Expression of Interest eligible for invitation, nothing more. Invitations are issued by points ranking, subject to occupation ceilings, and in the 4 June 2026 round of the 189 minimum scores invited ranged from 65 to 100 points depending on the occupation. Ties are broken by date of effect, so a score completed early beats the same score completed late.

Two moves change most outcomes. The first is building points where they are cheapest: English results are worth up to 20 points on their own, partner claims up to 10, and a Professional Year or NAATI credential 5 each. The second is changing the denominator: 190 nomination adds 5 points and 491 nomination adds 15, which is frequently worth more than a year of additional employment.

The score that matters is the score you can evidence. We verify each claim, employment references, skills assessment validity, English expiry dates, partner documentation, before the Expression of Interest is lodged, because an overclaimed EOI is refused after invitation rather than corrected.

Have your score verified before you lodge

We assess your points against the evidence and the recent invitation cut-offs for your occupation, and advise whether the 189, 190, or 491 is the strategic pathway.

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Common questions

What is the minimum points score for skilled migration?
You need at least 65 points to be invited. Invitations are issued by points ranking, subject to occupation ceilings, so the practical cut-off depends on the occupation: in the 189 round of 4 June 2026, minimum scores invited ranged from 65 points for several construction trades to 100 points. The 190 adds a 5-point nomination bonus and the 491 adds 15 points, lowering the effective bar for nominated applicants.
Is there a cap on employment points?
Yes. Overseas and Australian skilled employment points are added together and capped at 20 points in total. Employment counts only where it was in your nominated occupation or a closely related occupation, at the skill level the assessing authority recognises, within the last 10 years. Overclaimed employment is one of the most common reasons a points-tested visa is refused after invitation.
How do partner points work?
Three outcomes are possible. Ten points where your partner is under 45, applies for the same visa, holds a suitable skills assessment in an occupation on the same skilled occupation list as yours, and has at least Competent English. Ten points where you are single or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Five points where your partner has at least Competent English but no skills assessment. Partner points are frequently the difference between an Expression of Interest that receives an invitation and one that does not.
My calculator score is above 65. Will I be invited?
Not necessarily. Invitations depend on whether a round is held, the number of invitations and places available for your occupation, and your points ranking against other candidates. The Department issued no 189 invitations from July to September 2026. Ties are broken by date of effect, the time your Expression of Interest reached its current score. A verified score, an accurate occupation choice, and early lodgement all matter alongside the raw number.
Can my score change after I lodge an Expression of Interest?
Yes, in both directions. Points fall automatically when you cross an age threshold, and English or skills assessment results can expire. Points rise when you add qualifications, employment years, or better English results, though the date of effect then becomes the time the EOI reached the new score. Managing timing around birthdays and expiry dates is a core part of points strategy.
Are the calculator's points guaranteed?
No. The calculator applies the current legislated points categories, but the Department awards points only where each claim is evidenced: employment references that satisfy policy, a valid skills assessment, English results within their validity window, and a genuine partner claim. We verify each claimed item against the evidence before an Expression of Interest is lodged, because an overclaimed EOI leads to a refusal after invitation, not a corrected score.

Points categories checked against the Department of Home Affairs points table on 15 October 2026. The points test is amended periodically; confirm current settings with the Department of Home Affairs before lodging an Expression of Interest. This page is general information, not legal advice.

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