Points table for Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

Points criteria are assessed at the time of invitation.

Age

AgePoints
at least 18 but less than 25 years25
at least  25 but less than 33 years30
at least  33 but less than 40 years25
at least  40 but less than 45 years15

English language skills

EnglishPoints
Competent English0
Proficient English10
Superior English20

English language skills

Skilled employment experience

Overseas skilled employment – (outside Australia)

Number of yearsPoints
Less than 3 years0
At least 3 but less than 5 years5
At least 5 but less than 8 years10
At least 8 years15

Australian skilled employment – (in Australia)

Number of yearsPoints
Less than 1 year0
At least 1 but less than 3 years5
At least 3 but less than 5 years10
At least 5 but less than 8 years15
At least 8 years20
  • You can only claim points for employment if the employment was in your nominated skilled occupation or a closely related skilled occupation; and you were employed for the relevant periods set out in the table, in the 10 years before you are invited to apply. 
  • For any Australian employment you must have held a substantive visa or a Bridging A or Bridging B visa and complied with the conditions of that visa to be eligible for points.

Employed means engaged in an occupation for remuneration for at least 20 hours a week.

Closely-related occupations must be:

  • in the same ANZSCO Unit Group or
  • consistent with a career advancement pathway or
  • recognised by an assessing authority that it is closely related to your nominated occupation, as part of your skills assessment

Under the points test there is a cap on the number of points that can be awarded for employment experience. The maximum number of points that can be awarded is 20, this means that even if you score more than 20 combined points for your employment experience only 20 points will be awarded.

Educational qualifications

RequirementPoints
A Doctorate from an Australian educational institution or a Doctorate from another educational institution, that is of a recognised standard.20
At least a Bachelor degree from an Australian educational institution or at least a Bachelor qualification, from another educational institution, that is of a recognised standard.15
A diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution.10
Attained a qualification or award recognised by the relevant assessing authority for your nominated skilled occupation as being suitable for that occupation10

For points based migration you will receive points for your highest qualification only. 

Recognition of your qualifications

The authority undertaking your skills assessment may determine if your qualifications are comparable to the relevant Australian qualification. Assessing authorities are listed against your occupation in the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations. You must have obtained this recognition at the time you are invited to apply for a visa.

If you hold an overseas qualification at bachelor level or above and your skills assessing authority did not offer an opinion on that qualification then it is open to you to contact Vocational Education Training and Assessment Services (VETASSESS) for advice.

VETASSESS can provide an assessment of the comparative educational level of these qualifications against the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Advice from VETASSESS should be provided with your application to support your claim for these points.

To obtain an assessment contact Vocational Education Training and Assessment Services.

Doctoral requirements (PhD)

You can only be awarded points for a doctoral degree if you have completed a qualification at the relevant level, that is,  a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). You cannot claim these points for the award of other qualifications that give you the right to use to the title of Doctor (that is, general practitioner, dentist, vet).

Specialist education qualification

RequirementPoints
A Masters degree by research or a Doctorate degree from an Australian educational institution that included at least 2 academic years study in a relevant field.10

The postgraduate degree by research (doctorate or masters) must be awarded from an Australian education institution after at least two academic years of study in the following science, technology, engineering, mathematics or specified information and communication technology (ICT) fields:

Natural and physical sciences

  • biological sciences
  • chemical sciences
  • earth sciences
  • mathematical sciences
  • natural and physical sciences
  • other natural and physical sciences
  • physics and astronomy

Information technology

  • computer science
  • information systems
  • information technology
  • other information technology

Engineering and related technologies

  • aerospace engineering and technology
  • civil engineering
  • electrical and electronic engineering and technology
  • engineering and related technologies
  • geomatics engineering
  • manufacturing engineering and technology
  • maritime engineering and technology
  • mechanical and industrial engineering and technology
  • other engineering and related technologies
  • process and resources engineering.

To determine whether your qualification is eligible, see the CRICOS website.

Australian study requirement

RequirementPoints
Meet the Australian study requirement5

You must have at least 1 degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution that meets the Australian study requirement.

Professional Year in Australia

RequirementPoints
Completion of a Professional Year in Australia5

At the time of invitation to apply, you had completed a Professional Year. To be eligible for the award of these points your Professional Year must have been in Accounting, ICT/Computing or Engineering, and:

Credentialled community language

RequirementPoints
Hold a recognised qualification in a credentialled community language5

To be credentialled in a community language and eligible for the award of points you must have been accredited at the paraprofessional level or above, certified at the certified provisional level or above, or have a community language credential for interpreting or translating by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

Study in regional Australia

RequirementPoints
You must have at least 1 degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution that satisfies the Australian study requirement obtained while living and studying in an eligible area of regional Australia5

To be eligible for the award of points your educational qualification:

  • must meet the Australian study requirement
  • have been obtained while you lived in, and studied at a campus in a designated regional area
  • not include study undertaken by distance education

Partner skills

RequirementPoints
Your spouse or de facto partner must also be an applicant for this visa and meet age, English and skill criteria

For you to be eligible for the award of these points your partner  must be an applicant for the same visa subclass and must not be an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen.

Additionally, you will need to provide evidence that when you were invited to apply for this visa that they:

– were under 45 years old
– had competent English
– had nominated a skilled occupation that is on the same skilled occupation list as your nominated skilled occupation
– had a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated skilled occupation, and the assessment wasn’t for a Subclass 485 visa.
10
Your spouse or de facto partner must also be an applicant for this visa and has competent English

For you to be eligible for the award of these points your partner must be an applicant for the same visa subclass and must not be an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen.
5
You are single or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident10

Nomination

RequirementPoints
You were invited to apply for a Subclass 190 (Skilled — Nominated) visa and the nominating State or Territory government agency has not withdrawn the nomination5

You must be nominated to be invited to apply for this visa. Provided your nomination remains in effect, you may be eligible for the award of these points.