Australia — SkillSelect
Australia skilled migration points calculator
Score yourself against the Home Affairs points test used for subclass 189 (Skilled Independent), 190 (State Nominated) and 491 (Skilled Regional). The minimum to submit an Expression of Interest is 65 points; the practical invitation threshold varies by occupation and quarter.
Estimated points
65
Minimum to submit an Expression of Interest is 65. Practical invitation threshold varies by occupation and quarter — most in-demand fields see invitations in the 85–95 range.
- Age
- 30
- English
- 10
- Overseas experience
- 10
- Australian experience
- 0
- Education
- 15
- Australian study
- 0
- Specialist education
- 0
- Community language
- 0
- Professional year
- 0
- Regional study
- 0
- Partner
- 0
- Nomination
- 0
Dated verdict context
Australia skilled migration points verdict context
Verified 2026-07-01
The calculator result should be read in two layers: the 65-point SkillSelect EOI floor for points-tested skilled visas, and the separate sponsored-work salary context now using CSIT AUD 79,423 and SSIT AUD 146,576 from 1 July 2026.
A score at or above 65 can meet the EOI filing floor, but it is not an invitation. Use the 85-95 planning band as a conservative competitiveness check, then verify the occupation, nomination pathway and latest invitation-round settings.
EOI points floor
65 points
Minimum score used by the calculator before practical invitation competitiveness, occupation ceilings or nomination settings are considered.
Competitive planning band
85-95 points
Non-official planning band used on this calculator to separate merely clearing the EOI floor from a stronger points-tested profile.
CSIT from 1 July 2026
AUD 79,423
Absolute salary floor for subclass 482 Core Skills, 494 and 186 TRT nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. Pay must also meet the Annual Market Salary Rate for the role.
Effective 2026-07-01 - Home Affairs - salary requirements
SSIT from 1 July 2026
AUD 146,576
Higher-salary stream within the 482 Skills in Demand visa. For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, salary must meet SSIT and AMSR.
Effective 2026-07-01 - Home Affairs - salary requirements
Software engineer, 28, subclass 189
75 points (-10 vs 85)
Score 75; EOI floor 65; planning band 85-95. The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited.
Same profile, with 190 state nomination
80 points (-5 vs 85)
Score 80; EOI floor 65; planning band 85-95. The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited.
Engineer, 33, subclass 491 regional
85 points (+0 vs 85)
Score 85; EOI floor 65; planning band 85-95. The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited.
Onshore nurse graduate, 26
95 points (+10 vs 85)
Score 95; EOI floor 65; planning band 85-95. The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited.
Tradesperson, 42, competent English only
35 points (-50 vs 85)
Score 35; EOI floor 65; planning band 85-95. The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited.
Researcher with a doctorate, 30
105 points (+20 vs 85)
Score 105; EOI floor 65; planning band 85-95. The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited.
Limits
- The 65-point floor is not an invitation cutoff.
- State and territory nomination can add points but also adds its own occupation-list and commitment rules.
- Sponsored 482/186/494 salary thresholds are separate from the points-tested 189/190/491 score.
Australia skilled-route cost and points layer
Australia skilled points, nomination and Skills in Demand cost answer
The calculator answers the points-test layer only. Use this route stack to keep points, state nomination, sponsorship, skills assessment and salary-threshold costs beside the result.
Calculator context
A points result does not guarantee an invitation, nomination or visa grant. It only says whether the profile clears the 65-point SkillSelect EOI floor. Skills assessment, occupation demand, state nomination, sponsorship, salary thresholds and post-invitation fees still need separate evidence.
| Australia route | Points or sponsor trigger | Mandatory paid-away baseline | Skills, nomination or salary dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subclass 189 Skilled Independent | Points-tested SkillSelect route. The EOI floor is 65 points; there is no sponsor or state nomination bonus. | A$7,501-A$8,705 | A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment before the EOI can become usable. No fixed salary floor in the route model; invitation depends on occupation demand and invitation rounds. |
| Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated | Points-tested SkillSelect route plus state or territory nomination. Nomination can add 5 points after the state gate is met. | A$7,506-A$9,010 | A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment plus A$0-A$300 state or territory fee exposure. No employer sponsor or national salary floor; state criteria can add occupation, residence and funds declarations. |
| Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional | Points-tested regional route. State/territory nomination or eligible-relative sponsorship can add 15 points. | A$7,506-A$9,010 | A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment plus A$0-A$300 nomination or eligible-relative gate exposure. No upfront national salary floor; later subclass 191 context is income-evidence timing, not an upfront 491 fee. |
| Subclass 482 Skills in Demand | Sponsor-led route. It is not a points-tested SkillSelect invitation route. | A$10,381-A$13,335 | A$0-A$1,200 skills-assessment exposure where required by occupation, nationality or stream. A$420 sponsor fee, A$330 nomination fee and A$4,800-A$7,200 SAF levy are employer-side; A$79,423/yr CSIT or A$146,576/yr SSIT, plus AMSR where the stream requires it. |
| Comparator route | Route type | Paid-away baseline | Do not collapse these lines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore S Pass | Employer-sponsored pass with quota, levy and insurance duties. | SGD 16,405-SGD 18,205 | SGD 15,600 levy and SGD 600-SGD 2,400 insurance stay employer-side; SGD 39,600-SGD 45,600 salary evidence is not a visa fee. |
| New Zealand AEWV | Employer-accredited work route with job-check approval before the worker applies. | NZ$3,060-NZ$4,325 | NZ$775 accreditation and NZ$735 job check are employer-side; variable market-rate job evidence is not paid away. |
| New Zealand SMC | Residence route with points, skilled-employment evidence and post-invitation filing. | NZ$6,810-NZ$8,925 | NZ$0 EOI and NZ$6,450 resident-stage application; NZ$72,800-NZ$109,200 skilled-job pay evidence is not a fee. |
| Austria Red-White-Red Card | Points and employer-declaration route with AMS assessment. | €228-€363 | €218 application fee; €0 points and labour-market gate; €41,580 salary evidence remains a category condition. |
- Subclass 189 guide
- Subclass 190 guide
- Subclass 491 guide
- Skills in Demand guide
- 189 cost-to-complete
- 190 cost-to-complete
- 491 cost-to-complete
- Skills in Demand cost
- Skills in Demand fees
- Australia salary thresholds
- Singapore S Pass cost
- New Zealand AEWV cost
- New Zealand SMC cost
- Austria RWR cost
- Austria RWR calculator
- Cost-to-complete JSON feed
- How our skilled-route cost figures compare
Source dates: Australia cost and salary data checked 1 July 2026; comparator cost rows checked 1 July 2026. Latest source record in this cluster: 1 July 2026. This cluster supports retrieval and review, not ranking, traffic, AI-citation or market-share outcome claims.
Worked examples
Typical profiles scored against the Home Affairs points test. The totals below are produced by the same calculator above. The EOI floor is 65 points; competitive occupations usually need 85–95 to receive an invitation.
The invitation-reality comparison is a planning benchmark, not a Home Affairs cutoff. Latest invitation rounds, occupation ceilings and state nomination settings can move independently of the 65-point EOI floor.
| Profile | Detail | Points | EOI floor | Invitation reality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineer, 28, subclass 189 | Superior English, 5 years overseas skilled work, bachelor’s, no nomination — clears the EOI floor but below the competitive invitation band. | 75 | Clears 65 | Clears the EOI floor, but is 10 points below the 85-95 point competitive planning band The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited. |
| Same profile, with 190 state nomination | Identical to the 189 engineer above plus a subclass 190 state nomination (+5). | 80 | Clears 65 | Clears the EOI floor, but is 5 points below the 85-95 point competitive planning band The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited. |
| Engineer, 33, subclass 491 regional | Proficient English, 8 years overseas work, master’s, accredited community language, with a 491 state nomination (+15). | 85 | Clears 65 | Inside the 85-95 point competitive planning band The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited. |
| Onshore nurse graduate, 26 | Superior English, 3 years overseas + 2 years Australian work, bachelor’s, met the Australian study requirement, professional year, with a skilled partner. | 95 | Clears 65 | Inside the 85-95 point competitive planning band The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited. |
| Tradesperson, 42, competent English only | Competent English (0 points), 5 years overseas work, recognised trade — age and English ceilings keep this below the 65-point floor. | 35 | Below 65 | Below the 65-point EOI floor by 30 points The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited. |
| Researcher with a doctorate, 30 | Superior English, 8 years overseas + 3 years Australian work, doctorate, specialist STEM/ICT education qualification — a top-band 189 profile. | 105 | Clears 65 | Above the 85-95 point competitive planning band by 10 points The planning band is not an invitation prediction: occupation ceilings, state nomination settings and Home Affairs invitation rounds still control who is invited. |
Clearing the 65-point floor lets you submit an Expression of Interest; it does not guarantee an invitation. State and territory nomination (190 / 491) adds 5–15 points.
About this calculator
Australia\u2019s General Skilled Migration (GSM) program uses a points-based SkillSelect system. Candidates lodge an EOI, the highest-scoring candidates in each occupation ceiling are issued invitations, and invited candidates then lodge a full visa application. Subclass 189 is permanent and uncapped; 190 requires state/territory nomination; 491 is a 5-year provisional visa with a 3-year regional-work pathway to permanent 191.
Calculator provenance
- Rule review date
- 20 April 2026
- Calculation method
- Scores the public SkillSelect points test and compares the total with the 65-point EOI floor.
It does not assess skills-assessment validity, occupation ceilings, state nomination criteria, or invitation probability. This independent calculator is for planning only; the authoritative result is the relevant government or caseworker decision.
FAQs
What’s the minimum points needed for skilled migration?
The legal minimum to submit an Expression of Interest is 65 points. In practice, invitations for subclass 189 usually go to candidates scoring 85–95 or higher in competitive occupations, though less-competitive occupations can see invitations at 65–70.
What’s the difference between 189, 190 and 491?
Subclass 189 is the uncapped Skilled Independent permanent visa, invitation-based via SkillSelect. Subclass 190 is state/territory nominated permanent residence and adds 5 points. Subclass 491 is the provisional Skilled Work Regional visa (5 years, leads to 191 PR) and adds 15 points.
Do I need to pass a skills assessment first?
Yes. Every applicant must have a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated occupation before submitting an EOI. The assessing authority is not always the same as the professional registration body.
What counts as "skilled employment"?
Paid employment in the nominated occupation (or a closely related occupation) at or above the skill level determined by the assessing authority, at 20+ hours per week, typically for a continuous period of at least three months.
Does this calculator reflect state-specific nomination criteria?
No. States and territories set their own nomination streams, occupation lists, and additional eligibility criteria on top of the points test. Check the relevant state/territory immigration page before submitting a 190 or 491 EOI.