Life in Australia Guide

General Skilled Migration (GSM) is a system in which people with occupations and skills that Australia needs apply for a permanent or regional visa based on points. The main examples are subclass 189 (independent skilled, no nomination or sponsor needed), subclass 190 (state nomination), and subclass 491 (regional nomination or family sponsorship, temporary 5 years). These visas are assessed by a points test that adds up points across categories such as age, English, work experience and qualifications, and you need at least 65 points to be eligible to apply. However, 65 points is only the minimum threshold and does not guarantee an invitation, and the actual cut-off for many occupations is often higher than this. Expressing your interest starts by submitting an EOI (Expression of Interest) in SkillSelect.

Skilled migration does not mean applying for a visa straight away; it goes through the stages of Expression of Interest (EOI) → invitation (ITA) → visa application. First, you submit an EOI in SkillSelect and enter details such as age, English, work experience and qualifications, and your points are calculated. Then, in a regular invitation round, you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) based on your score and occupation ranking, and only those who receive an invitation can actually apply for a visa. Submitting an EOI is not itself a visa application, and an invitation is not guaranteed.

Before calculating your points test score, you first need to meet the basic eligibility requirements. The core elements are a nominated occupation and a positive skills assessment for it, together with approved English test results. Only once these three are in place can you meaningfully calculate the remaining points for age, work experience, qualifications and so on.

• Confirm your occupation — check whether your occupation is on the occupation list for the visa you are applying for.
• skills assessment — obtain a positive skills assessment result from the assessing authority designated for your occupation (check the validity period).
• English evidence — secure at least Competent in an approved test such as IELTS or PTE (points increase according to the score band).

The points test adds up the points from several categories. Below are the main scoring categories, and the exact points must always be confirmed using the official points table (subject to frequent change). The figures below are general examples to aid understanding.

The following are items worth checking when reviewing your own score and shoring up any gaps. This is for reference only; for an accurate assessment of your individual situation we recommend consulting a professional.

• Enter your age, English, work experience and qualifications accurately into the official points calculator to calculate your current score (for reference).
• Your English score is an effective lever. Moving from Proficient to Superior gives +10 points, so you could consider re-sitting the test.
• Consider the state nomination (190 +5) or regional nomination (491 +15) pathways (state requirements and occupation lists differ).
• Review additional scoring items such as NAATI community language (+5), professional year (+5), and a specialist STEM degree (+10).
• If you are single or your partner is a citizen or PR, or depending on your partner's skills and English, the points vary, so check which applies to you.

The following are common misunderstandings and mistakes when calculating points. Knowing them in advance can save you time and money.

• Mistaking 65 points = invitation — 65 points is only the minimum eligibility, and the actual cut-off can be higher by occupation and round.
• Calculating points only, without a skills assessment — a positive skills assessment and occupation list check must come first.
• Miscalculating work-experience points — only the period recognised as 'skilled' is counted, and it is easy to overlook the last-10-years rule and the combined 20-point cap.
• Overlooking the age limit — you must be under 45 at the time of invitation, and the age points band can change over time.
• Inaccurate or false EOI information — this can lead to your invitation being cancelled, your visa being refused, or disadvantages in future applications, so if a judgement is difficult we recommend consulting an OMARA-registered migration agent.