Work out your score for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491). Every factor in the official points test is included, the 20-point employment cap is applied correctly, and you get a full breakdown plus the specific changes that would lift your score.
Points values current as at 31 July 2026. Checked against the Department of Home Affairs points tables for subclasses 189, 190 and 491, which were last updated by the Department on 16 July 2026. The points test has not changed in the 2026–27 program year. Proposals to rewrite it have been discussed publicly since the 2024 review, but nothing has been legislated. We re-check this page against the official tables regularly — always confirm against immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you lodge.
Email yourself the breakdown
Send your score and full factor breakdown to your inbox, and we will include a short note on what a skills assessment involves for your occupation. Your breakdown is filled in below automatically — edit it if you like.
How the Australian points test works
The points test is a ranking system, not a pass mark. You need 65 points to submit an expression of interest through SkillSelect, but that only puts you in the pool. The Department then invites the highest-scoring candidates in each occupation. Through the 2026–27 program year, many popular occupations have needed scores in the high 80s and 90s to receive an invitation.
Before you can claim any points at all, you need a positive skills assessment from the assessing authority for your nominated occupation. For engineers that is Engineers Australia, and the usual route is a Competency Demonstration Report — see our guide to the EA skill assessment and the Engineers Australia CDR guide.
Age — up to 30 points
Assessed at the moment you are invited, not when you lodge your expression of interest. The 25 to 32 bracket is worth the most at 30 points, and the drop after 32 is steep: you lose 5 points at 33, and another 10 at 40. Applicants aged 45 or over at invitation cannot be granted these visas.
English — up to 20 points
Competent English is the entry requirement and scores zero points. Superior English is worth 20, which is the single largest points swing most applicants can control. Retaking an English test is almost always cheaper and faster than any other route to 20 points. Our English requirement guide covers the accepted tests and scores.
Skilled employment — up to 20 points combined
This is where most calculators get it wrong. Overseas and Australian experience are scored separately, but the combined total is capped at 20 points. Eight years overseas (15) plus eight years in Australia (20) gives you 20, not 35. Only work in your nominated or a closely related occupation counts, at a minimum of 20 hours a week, within the 10 years before invitation.
Qualifications — up to 20 points
Awarded for your highest qualification only. A doctorate is 20, a bachelor degree or above is 15, and an Australian diploma or trade qualification is 10. Separately, an Australian Masters by research or PhD in an eligible STEM field adds 10 more — that one does stack, so an Australian STEM PhD is worth 30 in total.
The smaller factors — 5 points each
Australian study requirement, Professional Year, NAATI community language credential and regional study are each worth 5. They are easy to overlook and they add up: all four together are 20 points, the same as Superior English. Note that regional study points require you to also meet the Australian study requirement.
Partner skills — up to 10 points
Being single is worth 10 points, and so is having a partner with a skills assessment and Competent English. A partner who only has Competent English is worth 5. A partner who has neither is worth nothing — which means an unskilled partner effectively costs you 10 points against a single applicant.
Nomination — 5 or 15 points
State or territory nomination for a subclass 190 adds 5 points. Regional nomination or eligible family sponsorship for a subclass 491 adds 15. The 491 is provisional rather than permanent, with a pathway to PR through the subclass 191 after meeting residence and income requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Is 65 points enough for Australian PR?
Sixty-five points is the minimum to submit an expression of interest, not the score needed to be invited. Invitation cut-offs are set by occupation and by round, and through 2026 many occupations have required well above 65. Treat 65 as the entry ticket and 85 or more as competitive.
When is my age assessed?
At the date of invitation. If you are approaching a birthday that crosses a bracket — 33, 40 or 45 — the timing of your invitation matters a great deal.
Can I claim points for work experience without a skills assessment?
No. Employment points require the work to be in your nominated or a closely related skilled occupation, and your nominated occupation has to be supported by a positive skills assessment. Engineers Australia will also assess how much of your employment it considers relevant, which is often less than an applicant expects.
Do points from different qualifications add together?
No. You are awarded points for your highest qualification only. The one exception is the specialist education item — an Australian Masters by research or PhD in an eligible STEM field adds 10 points on top of your qualification points.
Will the points test change?
A review of the points test was published in 2024 and reform has been discussed since, but as at 31 July 2026 nothing has been legislated and the table above reflects current law. We check this page against the Department's published tables regularly and update the date stamp when we do.
Your skills assessment comes first
Every point on this page depends on one thing: a positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation. For engineers, that means a Competency Demonstration Report that Engineers Australia accepts. If your CDR is rejected or assessed at a lower occupational category than you expected, your points change with it.
We write and review CDRs for every occupational category Engineers Australia assesses. See our CDR writing services, browse samples by discipline, or start with the documents you will need. Current assessment pricing is on our Engineers Australia fees page.
Disclaimer. This calculator is an estimate based on the Department of Home Affairs points tables for subclasses 189, 190 and 491, as published at the date shown above. It is general information, not migration advice. Only the Department can determine your points. For advice on your circumstances, consult a registered migration agent (MARA).
Also useful: how many Canberra Matrix points you would score.