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SkillSelect · Subclasses 189, 190 and 491 · General information

Not yet reviewed by a registered migration agent. Review is pending.

SkillSelect Australia: EOI, points and invitations explained

How the skilled migration system works, who it is for, how the points test adds up, how invitation rounds and state nomination fit in, and what to do after an invitation. It is evergreen general information, and it links to the official pages that carry current figures.

Check your indicative pointsSee the nine stepsRead the FAQs

Based on Home Affairs’ pages, read on 4 November 2026, and the Migration Regulations 1994 as compiled on 2 October 2026. Prepared by the Global Migrations editorial team from official sources.

  1. 1OccupationOn the right list
  2. 2Skills assessmentBy the named authority
  3. 3EnglishAt least competent
  4. 4Points65 is the threshold
  5. 5EOINot a visa application
  6. 6Invitation or nominationDepends on the visa
  7. 7Visa applicationWithin 60 days of an invitation

These seven stages are the overview, and the nine steps below break them into finer detail. The order is a guide, not a rule. Home Affairs’ own pages differ on when the skills assessment is needed (see step 2), and a 190 or state-nominated 491 starts with a state or territory choosing you.

Start here, in short

  • SkillSelect is Home Affairs’ online system for skilled workers who want to be considered for the Skilled Independent (189), Skilled Nominated (190) or Skilled Work Regional (491) visas.
  • You submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). An EOI is not a visa application, and submitting one guarantees nothing.
  • You must reach 65 points on the points test to be invited, and meeting 65 does not guarantee an invitation.
  • An invitation is not a visa. After an invitation you have 60 calendar days to apply, and Home Affairs cannot extend that time.
  • Rounds rank EOIs against each other, and the scores invited in a round have often been higher than 65. See the latest results page for the actual figures.
  • Rules and results change. Use the official links on this page, and ask a registered migration agent about your own circumstances.
What SkillSelect is

An online system for skilled workers, not a visa.

SkillSelect is where you tell the Australian Government you are interested. It is not where you are granted anything.

An online system, not a visa

Home Affairs describes SkillSelect as “the Australian Government’s online system for skilled workers who want to express their interest in applying for a visa to live and work in Australia”. You need to be invited to apply for a skilled visa.

Source: Home Affairs: SkillSelect (opens in a new tab)

Why it works this way

Home Affairs says the number of invitations and occupations in each round varies with the needs of the Australian economy and the applications already on hand, and that it allocates places for the skilled migration program to meet the Government’s migration planning levels. We have not found more detail about how occupations are chosen for a round.

Source: Home Affairs: SkillSelect invitation rounds (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), points-tested stream (opens in a new tab)

Terms used on this page: EOI is an Expression of Interest. ANZSCO is the occupation classification. Date of effect is the time and date your EOI reached its score for a visa subclass, and it is the tie-break for equal points. Skills assessment is the independent check of your skills by the authority named for your occupation.

How it works

The nine steps, one at a time.

Choose a step. Each one says what it involves, what people commonly confuse, and what to do next.

Step 1 of 9

Understand your occupation

A classification, not just a job title

Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations for the visa. Home Affairs publishes one combined list built from five occupation lists, and says each visa uses the list that applies to it.

Occupations come from the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). Home Affairs says it uses the 2013 version of ANZSCO for the 189, 190 and 491.

Common confusion
Your job title and your ANZSCO occupation are often different, and picking an occupation by title alone is a common mistake. The occupation you nominate has to match your skills assessment.
What to do
Search the combined list on Home Affairs’ website, note the assessing authority named against your occupation, and check the visas it is listed for.

Source: Home Affairs: Skilled occupation list (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), points-tested stream (opens in a new tab)

The points test

Where points come from, and what each one needs.

Values are those in Home Affairs’ points table for the 189, 190 and 491, read on 4 November 2026. Each item has conditions, and you must be able to prove each claim.

Age

18 to under 25: 25. 25 to under 33: 30. 33 to under 40: 25. 40 to under 45: 15.

Who it is for
Everyone. You must be under 45 when invited.
Evidence
Passport or birth certificate.
Conditions
Age at the time of invitation. Nothing is listed for 45 or over.
Limits
You cannot improve it, and the band changes as you age.
English language

Competent 0. Proficient 10. Superior 20.

Who it is for
Everyone needs at least Competent English to be invited.
Evidence
An accepted test report, or a valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK or the USA for Competent English.
Conditions
Home Affairs’ English pages describe test validity in two ways (relative to the invitation and to the visa application), so confirm yours. Check which test table applies to your test date.
Limits
The points level and the visa English requirement are different things.
Skilled employment outside Australia

3 to under 5 years: 5. 5 to under 8: 10. 8 or more: 15.

Who it is for
People with skilled work in their nominated or a closely related occupation.
Evidence
Employment references, contracts, payslips, tax statements.
Conditions
In the 10 years before invitation, at least 20 hours a week.
Limits
Combined with Australian employment, capped at 20 points.
Skilled employment in Australia

1 to under 3 years: 5. 3 to under 5: 10. 5 to under 8: 15. 8 or more: 20.

Who it is for
People who worked in Australia in their nominated or a closely related occupation.
Evidence
References, payslips, tax statements, visa history.
Conditions
In the 10 years before invitation, at least 20 hours a week, while you held a substantive visa or a Bridging A or B visa and complied with its conditions.
Limits
Combined with overseas employment, capped at 20 points.
Educational qualifications

Doctorate (PhD) 20. Bachelor or higher recognised standard 15. Australian diploma or trade qualification 10. Qualification recognised by your assessing authority 10.

Who it is for
People with a qualification of the listed kind.
Evidence
Certificates and transcripts.
Conditions
Points are for your highest qualification only.
Limits
Doctorate points need a Doctor of Philosophy.
Specialist education qualification (STEM)

10

Who it is for
People with a Masters by research or Doctorate from an Australian institution.
Evidence
The degree and transcript showing the field.
Conditions
At least 2 academic years of study in a listed science, technology, engineering, mathematics or ICT field.
Limits
Applies to a narrow group.
Australian study requirement

5

Who it is for
People who studied in Australia.
Evidence
Qualification and study records.
Conditions
At least one degree, diploma or trade qualification that meets the requirement. Home Affairs’ definition page refers to at least 2 academic years and no less than 16 calendar months in Australia while holding a study visa.
Limits
That definition page was last updated in December 2024, so check it is current.
Professional Year in Australia

5

Who it is for
Accounting, ICT or Engineering graduates.
Evidence
The official record of completion.
Conditions
In your nominated or a closely related occupation, at least 12 months, completed in Australia in the 4 years before invitation, with a listed provider.
Limits
Only for those three fields.
Credentialled community language

5

Who it is for
People with a recognised NAATI credential.
Evidence
The credential.
Conditions
As set out in Home Affairs’ points table.
Limits
Home Affairs’ glossary and its points table describe the credential slightly differently. Prefer the points table.
Study in regional Australia

5

Who it is for
People who studied at a regional campus.
Evidence
Qualification, campus and address records.
Conditions
The qualification must meet the Australian study requirement, be obtained while living and studying in a designated regional area, and not be by distance education.
Limits
Needs the Australian study requirement as well.
Partner skills or single status

Partner meets age, English and skills criteria: 10. Partner has competent English: 5. Single, or partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident: 10.

Who it is for
People with a partner, or single applicants.
Evidence
Partner’s passport, skills assessment and English results; relationship evidence.
Conditions
Home Affairs’ points table says this item is not assessed at the time of invitation, while the Regulations tie some partner criteria to that time. Check both.
Limits
If your marital status changes during processing, points may not be awarded.
Nomination or sponsorship

190 nomination: 5. 491 nomination or family sponsorship: 15.

Who it is for
People invited to the 190 or 491 because they were nominated or sponsored.
Evidence
The nomination or sponsorship.
Conditions
The nomination must not have been withdrawn.
Limits
A 189 EOI has no such row, so it cannot score these points.

Source: Home Affairs: Points table for the 189 (the 190 and 491 tables differ only in the nomination row) (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: Points calculator (opens in a new tab), Legislation: Migration Regulations 1994 (opens in a new tab)

Our existing Points Calculator is a separate tool, and the two are not linked to each other. Check any total you see against Home Affairs’ table.

Home Affairs does not state a total maximum. The Migration Regulations 1994 contain the points test in Schedule 6D, and Home Affairs publishes the working table. Always check the official table before you rely on a claim.

English levels in the points test

English test scores by level
TestCompetent (0 points)Proficient (10 points)Superior (20 points)
IELTS (Academic or General Training)6 in each component7 in each component8 in each component
PTE AcademicListening 47, Reading 48, Writing 51, Speaking 54Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69, Speaking 76Listening 69, Reading 70, Writing 85, Speaking 88

Minimum score in each of the four components, for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025. Tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 use different tables on Home Affairs’ pages. Other accepted tests (Cambridge, CELPIP, OET, LANGUAGECERT, MET, TOEFL iBT) have their own tables, linked from the English pages.

Source: Home Affairs: Competent English (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: Proficient English (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: Superior English (opens in a new tab)

Indicative calculator

Add up your points, with the working shown.

Pick the options that apply. You see each line, the cap on employment points, and a plain warning where a choice does not count.

Visa you are considering
Your details
Competent English is the minimum to be invited.
In the 10 years before invitation, in your nominated or a closely related occupation.
Combined employment points are capped at 20.
Choose one. If you are single, the single option is worth 10 points.
Other points items, only if you meet every condition
189, 190 and 491

Three visas, four ways to be selected.

Select the pathways you want side by side. The two 491 streams are kept separate because they work differently.

Subclass 189 Skilled Independent

Type
Permanent. The visa has a travel component that expires 5 years after the grant date.
How you are selected
You are invited by Home Affairs in an invitation round, ranked by points and then date of effect. Nomination is not needed.
Points
Meet or exceed 65. No nomination points.
Must-haves
Occupation on the relevant list, suitable skills assessment at invitation, under 45 at invitation, at least Competent English, and an invitation.
Occupation ceilings
May apply.
Where you live
The 189 page states no regional requirement.

Source: Home Affairs: Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), points-tested stream (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: SkillSelect invitation rounds (opens in a new tab)

Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated

Type
Permanent.
How you are selected
A state or territory agency nominates you after seeing your EOI. The nomination triggers your invitation. Each agency has its own criteria.
Points
Meet or exceed 65. A nomination adds 5 points.
Must-haves
Occupation on the 190 list, suitable skills assessment, under 45, Competent English, and a nomination that stays in place.
Occupation ceilings
Do not apply.
Where you live
Set by the nominating state or territory’s own conditions.

Source: Home Affairs: Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: SkillSelect invitation rounds (opens in a new tab)

Subclass 491 State or Territory Nominated

Type
Temporary, 5 years from the grant date. You cannot extend it.
How you are selected
A state or territory agency nominates you and the nomination triggers your invitation.
Points
Meet or exceed 65. Nomination adds 15 points.
Must-haves
Occupation on the combined 491 list, suitable skills assessment, under 45, Competent English, and a nomination that is not withdrawn.
Occupation ceilings
Do not apply.
Where you live
You and your family unit must live, work and study in a designated regional area. You can apply for permanent residence through the subclass 191 visa only after holding the 491 for at least 3 years, and you must meet its other requirements, including income evidence. Check the 191 page for the current criteria.

Source: Home Affairs: Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: SkillSelect invitation rounds (opens in a new tab)

Subclass 491 Family Sponsored

Type
Temporary, 5 years from the grant date.
How you are selected
You indicate in your EOI that an eligible relative will sponsor you. Home Affairs may invite you in an invitation round, ranked by points then date of effect. The Minister must approve the sponsorship.
Points
Meet or exceed 65. Family sponsorship adds 15 points.
Must-haves
Same core requirements as the other pathways: an occupation on the relevant list, a suitable skills assessment, under 45 and Competent English. In addition, the sponsor must be 18 or older, usually resident in a designated area, an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and your eligible relative.
Occupation ceilings
May apply.
Where you live
Designated regional area, as for the other 491 stream.

Source: Home Affairs: Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: SkillSelect invitation rounds (opens in a new tab)

The two 491 streams are not the same. Only the Family Sponsored stream is invited in Home Affairs’ rounds. The State or Territory Nominated stream starts with a state or territory choosing you, and its occupation ceilings do not apply.

Compare them in more depth: 189 vs 190 vs 491 explained · 190 vs 491 for state nomination · Subclass 189 guide

State and territory nomination

How nomination fits in, in plain terms.

This page does not track state programmes, because their rules and status change. Our state nomination hub does.

What nomination does not do

It is not a federal invitation round and it is not a visa. Each state or territory sets its own criteria and priorities, and may have its own application step, fee and conditions about where you live and work.

Always read the nominating state’s own pages before you rely on any summary, including ours.

Go deeper: State nomination 2026–27: every state and territory · Choose your state · 190 vs 491

The Expression of Interest

What an EOI is, what it holds, and how it stays current.

EOI preparation checklist

Not every item applies to every applicant. Your ticks are kept only in this browser, and nothing is sent anywhere.

Before you submit an EOI

Home Affairs says you provide information at this stage, not documents.

Later, at the visa application stage

These are needed if you are invited. They are not uploaded to an EOI.

0 of 14 items considered

A fuller worksheet: EOI strategy worksheet (XLSX).

Invitation rounds

How a round ranks EOIs, in four sentences.

  • For the 189 and the 491 (Family Sponsored), Home Affairs invites the highest-ranked EOIs by points.
  • When points are equal, the earlier date of effect goes first, and occupation ceilings may limit invitations.
  • Home Affairs publishes results after rounds, including the lowest score invited in each occupation. Those figures describe one round and do not predict the next.
  • The 190 and the State or Territory Nominated 491 are not invited in these rounds.

Source: Home Affairs: SkillSelect invitation rounds (opens in a new tab)

See the latest round results and the occupation explorer

Because rounds rank EOIs against each other, the lowest score invited in an occupation has often been above 65. Our results page carries the current numbers, and this page does not repeat them.

Your situation

Choose the one that sounds like you.

Skilled professional overseas

“I have a degree and years of experience. Where do I start?”

What to understand

  • Which ANZSCO occupation matches your work, and which authority assesses it.
  • Whether your English and points can reach 65 by the time you could be invited.
  • That an EOI can be submitted from outside Australia.
Common risk
Choosing an occupation by job title, then finding the assessing authority will not accept your experience.
Sensible next step
Check the occupation list and the assessing authority’s requirements before anything else.

Occupation guides

Common mistakes

Twelve mistakes to avoid.

  1. 1

    Choosing an occupation from your job title

    The nominated occupation has to be an ANZSCO occupation on the relevant list and match your skills assessment.

  2. 2

    Letting your age band change unnoticed

    Age is assessed at the time of invitation, so a birthday can move you into a lower-scoring band before an invitation arrives.

  3. 3

    Assuming a positive skills assessment guarantees an invitation

    It is one requirement. Home Affairs says even meeting the points threshold gives no guarantee of an invitation.

  4. 4

    Claiming points you cannot prove

    Home Affairs says you must prove every claim when you apply, and says not to apply if you cannot show that you meet the points on your invitation.

  5. 5

    Misreading English categories

    Competent, Proficient and Superior serve different purposes, and your family members have their own English requirement later.

  6. 6

    Entering inaccurate employment history

    Your EOI asks for 10 years of work history with dates. Errors can undermine points claims that you later cannot support.

  7. 7

    Treating an EOI as a visa application

    An EOI gives you no bridging visa and no right to stay in Australia.

  8. 8

    Assuming 65 points guarantees an invitation

    65 is the threshold to be invited, not a pass mark that secures one. EOIs are ranked against each other.

  9. 9

    Confusing state nomination with federal rounds

    Home Affairs’ invitation rounds do not cover the 190 or the state-nominated 491. States manage nominations on their own priorities.

  10. 10

    Treating the two 491 streams as the same

    Family Sponsored is invited in federal rounds. State or Territory Nominated starts with a nomination. Their conditions differ.

  11. 11

    Ignoring EOI updates

    Update when work experience, qualifications, English, skills assessment or family circumstances change, and before any invitation.

  12. 12

    Relying on old information

    Points values, lists and state programmes change. Use the official links on this page for the current position.

More: Skilled migration mistakes · How skilled migration works · Points master guide

After an invitation

An invitation is not a visa.

It starts a 60-day period in which you must lodge a complete application with evidence for every claim.

Health and character

You and any family members who apply with you must meet the health requirement, and those aged 16 and over must meet the character requirement, including family members not coming with you. Police certificates and health examinations take time, and Home Affairs says you pay for health examinations.

Source: Home Affairs: Health examinations (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: Character requirement (opens in a new tab), Home Affairs: Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), points-tested stream (opens in a new tab)

Plan the 60 days: post-invitation readiness checklist (PDF) · what happens next, in our results guide

FAQ

Twenty-two questions people ask.

What is SkillSelect in Australia?

It is the Australian Government’s online system for skilled workers who want to express their interest in applying for a visa to live and work in Australia. You need to be invited to apply for the Skilled Independent (189), Skilled Nominated (190) and Skilled Work Regional (491) visas.

Is SkillSelect the same as an Expression of Interest?

No. SkillSelect is the system. An Expression of Interest (EOI) is what you submit in it. An EOI is not a visa application.

Who can submit an EOI?

Anyone interested in the 189, 190 or 491 can submit one, from inside or outside Australia. To be invited you must meet the eligibility requirements, including an occupation on the relevant list, a suitable skills assessment, competent English, being under 45 and at least 65 points.

Does submitting an EOI guarantee an invitation?

No. Home Affairs says that even if you meet the minimum points threshold, there is no guarantee you will receive an invitation.

What is the minimum points requirement?

65 points for the 189, 190 and 491. Your invitation will state the points you must score when your application is assessed, which may be higher than 65 depending on your claims.

Does a higher points score guarantee an invitation?

No. For the 189 and the 491 (Family Sponsored), Home Affairs invites the highest-ranked EOIs by points, and occupation ceilings and available places also apply. For the 190 and state-nominated 491, a state or territory must nominate you.

How long does an EOI remain active?

Home Affairs says an EOI remains active for 2 years from when you submit it, and that EOIs, including incomplete ones, are archived after 2 years.

Can I update my EOI?

Yes, at any time before you receive an invitation. An EOI that has received an invitation is frozen (189) or suspended (190 and 491), so you cannot update it while the invitation is open. Check Home Affairs’ page for your visa to see what you can do after the 60-day period. You can withdraw your EOI before you are invited.

Can I submit more than one EOI?

The Home Affairs pages we read do not state a rule on whether more than one EOI can be active at once. One EOI can include more than one visa type. Ask a registered migration agent or Home Affairs before relying on an answer.

What is a Date of Effect?

Home Affairs describes it as the time and date at which your EOI reached its score for that subclass, also called the tie break date. Earlier dates are invited before later ones when points are equal.

What happens if two applicants have the same points?

For the 189 and the 491 (Family Sponsored), Home Affairs invites the EOI with the earlier date of effect first. State nominations are decided by each state or territory.

What is the difference between subclass 189 and 190?

The 189 is invited by Home Affairs by points. The 190 needs a state or territory to nominate you, and the nomination triggers the invitation. Both are permanent visas.

How does subclass 491 work?

It is a temporary visa, valid for 5 years, for people who live, work and study in a designated regional area. You are either nominated by a state or territory, or sponsored by an eligible relative. You may be able to apply for permanent residence through the subclass 191 visa after holding the 491 for at least 3 years, if you meet its other requirements.

What is the difference between 491 Family Sponsored and state nomination?

Family Sponsored is invited by Home Affairs in rounds and needs an eligible relative sponsor approved by the Minister. State or Territory Nominated starts with a nomination, and its occupation ceilings do not apply. Treat them as two streams.

Do I need a skills assessment before submitting an EOI?

Home Affairs’ pages are not consistent. The page on submitting an EOI says you need an assessment before you can submit. The 189, 190 and 491 pages say you must have a suitable assessment at the time of invitation, obtained in the 3 years before it. Confirm the current requirement before you plan.

Is an English test required?

You need at least Competent English at the time of invitation. A valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK or the USA is accepted as evidence of Competent English. Otherwise you need an accepted test.

Can I include my partner?

Your partner can affect your points, and Home Affairs suggests that a partner with enough points can submit as primary applicant and include you. Family members can be included in the visa application, and adults need functional English or a second instalment of the application charge.

Can I submit an EOI while in Australia?

Yes. Home Affairs says you can submit it from within or outside Australia. An EOI gives no bridging visa, so you must keep a lawful visa, and to apply in Australia for the visa you must hold a substantive or bridging visa A, B or C.

How long does it take to receive an invitation?

Home Affairs does not state a waiting time or a fixed number of invitations. It says invitation numbers and occupations vary, and that it cannot tell you how your EOI is progressing.

What happens after receiving an invitation?

You have 60 calendar days to apply through ImmiAccount, with evidence for every claim. An invitation is not a visa, and Home Affairs assesses your application against the points on your invitation and all other criteria.

Can I be invited if my occupation has a low published cut-off?

Not necessarily. Home Affairs publishes the lowest score invited in each occupation after a round. That describes one round, and it does not predict the next. See our invitation-round results page for the latest data.

Does GMES provide skilled migration assistance?

Yes. Global Migrations offers skilled migration services for the 189, 190 and 491 through its registered migration agent, Ranbir Singh (MARN 1069570). We cannot influence Home Affairs or a state or territory, and nothing on this page guarantees an invitation or visa.

About this page

Who wrote it and how current it is.

Prepared by
Global Migrations editorial team, from official sources. No individual author is named.
Reviewed by
Pending. Our registered migration agent, Ranbir Singh (MARN 1069570), has not yet reviewed this page. We will show a review date here only after a review takes place.
Published and checked
4 November 2026. Home Affairs’ pages were read on 4 November 2026. The SkillSelect section pages show “last updated” dates from 7 October to 4 November 2026, and some pages we rely on are older (for example the 189 page, 1 July 2026, and the Australian study requirement page, December 2024).
Corrections
If you find something out of date or wrong, please tell us.
Official sources

The official sources this page uses.

General information only. This page is not legal or migration advice and does not consider your circumstances. Rules, lists, fees, processing practices and results change, and you should confirm the current position with Home Affairs and the relevant state or territory before acting. Meeting a requirement does not guarantee an invitation, a nomination or a visa. Home Affairs states that migration agents cannot fast-track processing or guarantee a visa. Immigration assistance in Australia generally must be given by a registered migration agent or a legal practitioner, with limited exceptions.