Australia Skilled Migration Points Calculator

The points test is how the Department of Home Affairs ranks applicants for the three main General Skilled Migration visas — the subclass 189 (Skilled Independent), 190 (Skilled Nominated) and 491 (Skilled Work Regional). Your score is the sum of a fixed set of categories, each with a point value set out in the Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 6D:

1. Age. Measured at invitation: 18–24 is 25, 25–32 is the maximum 30, 33–39 is 25, 40–44 is 15, and 45+ is 0.
2. English. Competent (IELTS 6) scores 0, Proficient (IELTS 7) 10, and Superior (IELTS 8) 20.
3. Skilled employment. Work in your nominated occupation over the last 10 years, scored separately for experience outside Australia (up to 15) and inside Australia (up to 20). The combined total is capped at 20 under Schedule 6D — this is the single most common scoring mistake.
4. Qualifications. Your single highest: a Doctorate is 20, a Bachelor or Master 15, and a diploma, trade, or assessed award 10.
5. Extras. The Australian study requirement (+5), a specialist STEM Master/PhD by research at an Australian institution (+10), study in regional Australia (+5), a NAATI-accredited community language (+5) and a Professional Year (+5).
6. Partner & nomination. Being single or having an Australian citizen/PR partner scores 10; a skilled partner also 10; competent English only 5. A subclass 190 nomination adds 5 and a subclass 491 nomination or family sponsorship adds 15.

The categories are added together with no overall cap other than the per-category maxima. To confirm the arithmetic, this tool computes the total twice — once by building the breakdown table and once through an independent re-sum — and both paths must agree. The result is a faithful estimate of the score the official DHA calculator would show for the factors it covers. It does not check whether your occupation is on a skilled list, assess your skills, or predict draw cut-offs, because SkillSelect round results change every month.

The pass mark is 65 points — the minimum to be invited to apply. Reaching 65 does not guarantee an invitation: rounds are ranked, so in high-demand occupations the effective cut-off is often higher. A state or regional nomination both adds points and can open lower effective thresholds.

• Department of Home Affairs — Points table for subclass 189, 190 and 491
• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 6D — points (legal basis & combined-employment cap)
• Department of Home Affairs — Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), points test & 65-point rule

Every point value was copied from these DHA and legislation pages and last cross-checked on 2026-07-16. The tool is reviewed whenever the Department of Home Affairs updates the points test. It scores the points test only — it does not assess occupation-list eligibility, skills, or category cut-offs.