The SkillSelect points test is the scoring mechanism behind Australia's points-tested skilled visas, including the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189). It is not, by itself, a decision about whether you get a visa. It produces a score that determines whether you can be invited to apply and, once invited, whether you meet one of the visa's eligibility criteria. Whether an invitation is actually issued in any given round depends on a separate, moving pass mark and the size of the competing pool at that time — a figure this article does not state, because it changes and must be checked live.
This article sets out the point categories and values as published on the Department of Home Affairs' points table for the subclass 189 visa, what each category actually measures, and what the points test does and does not tell you.
What the points test is for
The points test converts factors such as age, English ability, work experience and qualifications into a numeric score. That score is used in two ways: to rank Expressions of Interest in SkillSelect for invitation purposes, and as an eligibility criterion in its own right — an applicant must reach the visa's minimum pass mark to be eligible at all. Reaching the pass mark does not guarantee an invitation; being ranked highly enough within the current pool at the time invitations are issued does.
Age
| Age | Points |
|---|---|
| At least 18 but less than 25 years | 25 |
| At least 25 but less than 33 years | 30 |
| At least 33 but less than 40 years | 25 |
| At least 40 but less than 45 years | 15 |
Age points are assessed at the time you are invited to apply, not at the time you first lodge an Expression of Interest. There is no published age band for 45 and over under this table, consistent with the points-tested skilled visas generally requiring applicants to be under 45 at invitation.
English language skills
| English level | Points |
|---|---|
| Competent English | 0 |
| Proficient English | 10 |
| Superior English | 20 |
These are defined English-proficiency bands used across the skilled visa program, each requiring a specified test result. Competent English attracts no points on its own but is typically the minimum standard required to be eligible for the visa at all.
Skilled employment experience
Employment points are split between experience gained overseas and experience gained in Australia, and are capped in combination.
| Overseas skilled employment | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than 3 years | 0 |
| At least 3 but less than 5 years | 5 |
| At least 5 but less than 8 years | 10 |
| At least 8 years | 15 |
| Australian skilled employment | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 0 |
| At least 1 but less than 3 years | 5 |
| At least 3 but less than 5 years | 10 |
| At least 5 but less than 8 years | 15 |
| At least 8 years | 20 |
Points can only be claimed for employment in the applicant's nominated skilled occupation, or a closely related skilled occupation, within the 10 years before the invitation to apply. Employment must be for at least 20 hours a week to count, and any Australian employment must have been held on a substantive visa, a Bridging visa A, or a Bridging visa B, with the applicant complying with that visa's conditions. Under the points test there is a cap of 20 points total for employment experience — even if the overseas and Australian tables would combine to more than 20, only 20 points are awarded.
Educational qualifications
| Qualification | Points |
|---|---|
| A Doctorate from an Australian institution, or an overseas Doctorate of a recognised standard | 20 |
| At least a Bachelor degree from an Australian institution, or an equivalent overseas qualification of a recognised standard | 15 |
| A diploma or trade qualification from an Australian institution | 10 |
| A qualification or award recognised by the relevant assessing authority as suitable for the nominated occupation | 10 |
Only the highest qualification is awarded points — qualifications are not stacked. Overseas qualifications must be assessed as comparable by the relevant skills-assessing authority for the nominated occupation, and that recognition must be held at the time of invitation.
Specialist STEM education qualification
A further 10 points is available for a postgraduate research degree — a Masters by research or a Doctorate — from an Australian institution, completed over at least 2 academic years of study in a defined list of natural and physical science, information technology, or engineering and related technology fields. This is awarded in addition to, not instead of, the general educational qualification points above.
Other point categories
| Category | What it requires | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Australian study requirement | At least one degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian institution meeting the Australian study requirement | 5 |
| Professional Year in Australia | Completion of a Professional Year in Accounting, ICT/Computing or Engineering, in the nominated or a closely related occupation, over at least 12 months, completed within 48 months before invitation, through an approved provider | 5 |
| Credentialled community language | Accreditation at paraprofessional level or above (or equivalent) through the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters | 5 |
| Study in regional Australia | A qualification meeting the Australian study requirement, obtained while living and studying on-campus (not by distance education) in a designated regional area | 5 |
Partner skills
| Partner circumstance | Points |
|---|---|
| Partner is also an applicant, and meets age, English and skill criteria (a suitable skills assessment in an occupation on the same list, aged under 45, competent English) | 10 |
| Partner is also an applicant, and has at least competent English (but does not meet the full skill criteria above) | 5 |
| Applicant is single, or their partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident | 10 |
Partner points are not assessed at the time of invitation for marital-status changes — if marital status changes during processing, points already claimed under this category may not be re-awarded.
What the points test does not tell you
- It does not tell you the current invitation mark — the score actually needed to receive an invitation in a given round. That figure moves with the size and composition of the competing pool and is published separately by Home Affairs; this article does not state it because a static number would go stale.
- It does not predict whether or when you will be invited. Ranking is relative to everyone else in SkillSelect at the time invitations are issued, not to a fixed target.
- It is not a substitute for a skills assessment. Claiming employment or qualification points does not establish that your occupation and qualifications meet the assessing authority's requirements — that is a separate, mandatory step.
- It does not assess your individual eligibility. This article sets out the published categories and values for reference; it is not a calculator, and Quota AU does not generate a personal score from information you provide.
- It applies specifically to the tables published for the subclass 189 visa. Other points-tested skilled visas, including subclass 190 and subclass 491, use closely related but not always identical tables — for example, both add nomination or sponsorship points that do not appear on the 189 table — so this article's figures should not be assumed to transfer directly to those visas without checking the applicable table.
How to check your own score and current settings
- Use the Department of Home Affairs' own points calculator to work out your score against the current published tables, rather than relying on any third-party summary, including this one.
- Check the current points table for the specific visa subclass you are considering, since tables differ between subclass 189, 190 and 491.
- Check the current pass mark and, where published, the recent invitation rounds for your occupation, to understand where a given score sits relative to recent outcomes — recognising that recent outcomes are historical and not a guarantee of what happens in future rounds.
- Confirm your qualifications and employment history against the relevant skills-assessing authority's requirements before relying on the points this article associates with them.
Sources and currency
This article reflects the Department of Home Affairs' published points table for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), with current information as at 7 September 2026. The primary sources are:
- Department of Home Affairs — Points table for Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189): https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-independent-189/points-table
- Department of Home Affairs — Points calculator: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/tools/points-calculator
Points tables, pass marks and invitation marks are reviewed and can change. Recheck the Home Affairs pages above before relying on any figure in this article, particularly if you are applying for a visa other than subclass 189. This article is general information from an official source, not migration advice, and it does not calculate or assess your individual score. For advice specific to your circumstances, consult a registered migration agent.