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). At least 65 points are required to be invited to apply; meeting the floor does not guarantee an invitation.
Indicative points, not a visa decision
75
At least 65 points are required for an invitation. Meeting that minimum does not guarantee one, and a high score cannot override other eligibility requirements. All claims must be supported at invitation; this calculator does not verify your evidence.
- Age
- 30
- English
- 10
- Overseas experience
- 10
- Australian experience
- 0
- Combined employment cap adjustment
- 0
- Education
- 15
- Australian study
- 0
- Specialist education
- 0
- Community language
- 0
- Professional year
- 0
- Regional study
- 0
- Partner
- 10
- Nomination
- 0
Dated verdict context
Australia skilled migration points verdict context
Verified 2026-07-01
The points-tested invitation minimum is 65. Sponsored-work salary thresholds are a separate comparison: CSIT AUD 79,423 and SSIT AUD 146,576 from 1 July 2026 do not add points to this score.
A score at or above 65 meets the points minimum only. Verify age, English, occupation, skills assessment and the nomination pathway. There is no general score band that reliably predicts an invitation across occupations and rounds.
Minimum points for an invitation
65 points
Minimum score used by the calculator before practical invitation competitiveness, occupation ceilings or nomination settings are considered.
Combined employment points cap
20 points
Australian and overseas skilled employment points together cannot exceed 20 under Schedule 6D.5.
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
85 points (+20 vs the 65-point minimum)
Score 85; minimum points threshold for an invitation 65. This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round.
Same profile, with 190 state nomination
90 points (+25 vs the 65-point minimum)
Score 90; minimum points threshold for an invitation 65. This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round.
Engineer, 33, subclass 491 regional
95 points (+30 vs the 65-point minimum)
Score 95; minimum points threshold for an invitation 65. This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round.
Onshore nurse graduate, 26
90 points (+25 vs the 65-point minimum)
Score 90; minimum points threshold for an invitation 65. This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round.
Tradesperson, 42, competent English only
45 points (-20 vs the 65-point minimum)
Score 45; minimum points threshold for an invitation 65. This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round.
Researcher with a doctorate, 39
110 points (+45 vs the 65-point minimum)
Score 110; minimum points threshold for an invitation 65. This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round.
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
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. Compare the local-currency costs with the linked route requirements before deciding which option fits your circumstances.
Worked examples
Illustrative profiles scored against the Home Affairs points test. The totals below are produced by the same calculator above. The points-test floor for an invitation is 65; none of these examples predicts an invitation or establishes full visa eligibility.
The single-applicant examples include 10 points for having no spouse or de facto partner. The doctorate example shows the 20-point combined employment cap. Nomination examples assume the nomination/invitation conditions are met, not merely that the applicant prefers that visa.
| Profile | Detail | Points | Points minimum | What the result means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineer, 28, subclass 189 | Single applicant: superior English, 5 years overseas skilled work, recognised bachelor’s degree, no nomination. Meets the minimum points threshold; invitation not predicted. | 85 | Clears 65 | Meets the 65-point minimum; invitation not predicted This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round. |
| Same profile, with 190 state nomination | Identical to the 189 engineer above plus a subclass 190 state nomination (+5). | 90 | Clears 65 | Meets the 65-point minimum; invitation not predicted This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round. |
| Engineer, 33, subclass 491 regional | Single applicant: proficient English, 8 years overseas work, recognised master’s, eligible community-language credential, with a 491 state nomination (+15). | 95 | Clears 65 | Meets the 65-point minimum; invitation not predicted This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round. |
| Onshore nurse graduate, 26 | Superior English, 3 years overseas + 2 years Australian work, bachelor’s, met the Australian study requirement, with a partner meeting all 10-point conditions. No professional-year points claimed. | 90 | Clears 65 | Meets the 65-point minimum; invitation not predicted This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round. |
| Tradesperson, 42, competent English only | Single applicant: competent English (0 points), 5 years overseas work, qualifying trade award. Total remains below the 65-point minimum. | 45 | Below 65 | Below the 65-point minimum by 20 points This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round. |
| Researcher with a doctorate, 39 | Single applicant: superior English, 5 years overseas + 5 years Australian work (combined points capped at 20), Australian doctorate meeting specialist and Australian-study conditions. No invitation prediction. | 110 | Clears 65 | Meets the 65-point minimum; invitation not predicted This checks points only. Occupation eligibility, a suitable skills assessment, English, age and nomination conditions still apply. Scores and selection vary by pathway and invitation round. |
Clearing the 65-point floor is necessary for an invitation, but does not guarantee one. 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; an invitation is required before lodging the visa application. Selection depends on the pathway and applicable invitation or nomination settings. Subclass 189 is permanent and invitation-based; 190 requires state/territory nomination; 491 is a five-year provisional visa, with a separate subclass 191 pathway if its conditions are met.
Points categories, model boundaries and examples reviewed 10 September 2026 against the current Migration Regulations and Home Affairs SkillSelect guidance. This is a points model, not an assessment of your documents, occupation or likelihood of selection.
Calculator provenance
- Rule review date
- 10 September 2026
- Calculation method
- Scores the highest applicable category, applies the combined 20-point employment cap, checks contradictory inputs and compares with the 65-point minimum for an invitation.
Primary sources
- Migration Regulations: Schedule 6D and regulations 1.15F / 2.26AChttps://www.legislation.gov.au/F1996B03551/latest/text
- Home Affairs: Subclass 189 points tablehttps://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-independent-189/points-table
- Home Affairs: English evidence by test and test datehttps://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/english-language
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?
Home Affairs requires at least 65 points to be invited to apply for a points-tested skilled visa. Meeting that floor does not guarantee an invitation. Actual invitation scores depend on the occupation, visa pathway and invitation round; a single nationwide score range is not a reliable prediction.
What’s the difference between 189, 190 and 491?
Subclass 189 is points-tested, permanent and invitation-based through SkillSelect, without state or territory nomination. Subclass 190 is state/territory nominated permanent residence and adds 5 points. Subclass 491 is a five-year provisional regional visa and adds 15 points for eligible nomination or family sponsorship. A later subclass 191 application has separate requirements; permanent residence is not automatic.
Do I need to pass a skills assessment first?
You can start and save an EOI while waiting for assessment or English results, then add them before completing it. A suitable skills assessment for the nominated occupation is required at invitation. The assessing authority is not always the same as the professional registration body; check the occupation, validity period and assessment type rather than assuming any registration or graduate-visa assessment qualifies.
What counts as "skilled employment"?
Count eligible paid work of at least 20 hours a week in your nominated or closely related occupation, within the 10 years before invitation. Overseas and Australian work have separate bands, but together contribute no more than 20 points. Do not double-count overlapping periods. This calculator does not validate duties, assessment dates or Australian visa/work conditions.
Do single applicants receive partner points?
Yes. Having no spouse or de facto partner gives 10 points, as does having an Australian citizen or permanent-resident partner. A qualifying skilled partner can give 10, or a qualifying competent-English partner 5. Having a partner who meets neither condition gives 0. These alternatives are mutually exclusive.
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.