Everything we get asked, answered.

The points test is a scoring system used by the Department of Home Affairs to rank skilled migration applicants. Points are awarded for age (max 30 points), English language ability (max 20 points), overseas work experience (max 15 points), Australian work experience (max 20 points), educational qualifications (max 20 points), and other factors like partner skills, regional study, and NAATI certification. You need a minimum of 65 points to be eligible, but competitive scores are typically 80-95+ depending on the occupation and visa subclass.

Visa 189 (Skilled Independent) is a permanent visa that does not require state nomination or employer sponsorship — you apply directly based on your points score. Visa 190 (Skilled Nominated) is a permanent visa requiring state/territory nomination, which adds 5 points to your score. Visa 491 (Skilled Work Regional) is a provisional 5-year visa requiring state nomination or family sponsorship in a regional area, adding 15 points. After 3 years on a 491, you can apply for permanent residency (visa 191).

Processing times vary significantly by visa subclass. As of 2025-26, visa 189 typically takes 6-12 months from invitation to grant. Visa 190 takes 6-14 months. Visa 491 takes 6-12 months. However, the total timeline includes skills assessment (2-6 months), EOI submission and invitation wait (1-12+ months depending on points and occupation), and then the application processing itself. Use our Processing Times tracker for the latest data.

An EOI is submitted through SkillSelect, the Department of Home Affairs online system. It is not a visa application — it is an expression of your interest in being invited to apply for a skilled visa. Your EOI is ranked by points score and submission date. When the Department or a state runs an invitation round, they invite the highest-scoring EOIs. You only get 60 days to lodge your actual visa application after receiving an invitation.

ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) is the occupation classification system used for skilled migration. Each occupation has a unique code (e.g., 261313 for Software Engineer). Your ANZSCO code determines which visa subclasses you are eligible for, which states will nominate you, which assessing authority reviews your skills, and your competitiveness in invitation rounds. Choosing the correct ANZSCO code is critical to your application.

State nomination is the process where an Australian state or territory government endorses your skilled visa application. Each state has its own occupation list, eligibility criteria, and nomination allocation. For visa 190, the state adds 5 points to your score. For visa 491, it adds 15 points. You must commit to living and working in the nominating state for a specified period (typically 2-3 years). Each state runs its own invitation rounds at different frequencies.

There is no single "easiest" state — it depends on your occupation, points score, and circumstances. Generally, regional states like Tasmania, South Australia, Northern Territory, and ACT have broader occupation lists and lower points thresholds. However, they also have smaller allocations. Use our State Ranker tool to compare all 8 states based on your specific profile, or check the PR Predictor for historical invitation data.

Each state receives a fixed allocation of nomination spots per financial year (July-June). Once a state exhausts its allocation for a particular visa subclass, it stops sending invitations until the next financial year or until additional spots are released. This is why timing matters — lodging your EOI early in the financial year (July-September) gives you the best chance. Track remaining allocations on our dashboard.

Yes, you can submit EOIs for multiple states simultaneously. However, you can only accept one invitation at a time. If you receive an invitation from one state, you have 60 days to lodge your visa application. Some states require you to withdraw EOIs from other states upon accepting their nomination. Always check the specific requirements of each state before applying.

The fastest ways to increase your points: (1) Improve English — Superior English (IELTS 8+ each band) gives 20 points vs 10 for Proficient. (2) Take the NAATI CCL test for +5 points (2-3 months prep). (3) Complete a Professional Year program for +5 points (12 months, available for IT, accounting, and engineering). (4) Study in a regional area for +5 points. (5) Get your partner's skills assessed for +10 points. Use our Points Calculator to model different scenarios.

The absolute minimum to submit an EOI is 65 points. However, competitive cutoffs are much higher. For popular occupations (IT, accounting, engineering), you typically need 85-95+ points for visa 189. For visa 190, states may invite at 65-80 points depending on the occupation and state. For visa 491 (regional), thresholds can be as low as 65 points in some states. Check our PR Predictor for real-time cutoff data by state and occupation.

Yes, age points decrease as you get older. You receive maximum points (30) between ages 25-32. At age 33, it drops to 25 points. At 40, it drops to 15 points. At 45, you receive 0 age points and become ineligible for most skilled visas. This creates urgency — every birthday after 32 can cost you 5 points. Use our age cliff calculator in the PR Predictor to understand your timeline.

A skills assessment is an evaluation of your qualifications and work experience against Australian standards for your nominated occupation. Each occupation is assigned a specific assessing authority. For example: ACS assesses IT occupations, Engineers Australia assesses engineering roles, VETASSESS handles many professional and trade occupations, and TRA assesses trades. The assessment typically costs $500-$1,500 AUD and takes 2-8 weeks. It is a mandatory requirement before submitting your EOI.

The Department of Home Affairs accepts: IELTS (Academic or General), PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), and OET (for health occupations). For "Superior" English (20 points), you need: IELTS 8+ in all bands, PTE 79+ in all sections, or equivalent. For "Proficient" (10 points): IELTS 7+ in all bands or PTE 65+ in all sections. Test results are valid for 3 years from the test date.

The Skills in Demand (SID) visa is a new employer-sponsored visa framework replacing the old TSS (visa 482). It has three streams: Specialist Skills (for high earners above the income threshold), Core Skills (for mid-level skilled workers), and Essential Skills (for lower-paid but essential workers). The key feature is a pathway to permanent residency after 2 years. Salary thresholds and eligible occupations vary by stream. Track the latest SID data on our SID Tracker.