VisaChief Australia PR points calculator (2026)
Score yourself against the current points table in under a minute. The calculator applies the 20-point cap on combined work experience, and shows the 189, 190 and 491 side by side.
You need at least 65 points to be invited for a points-tested skilled visa. 65 is the floor, not the target: invitations are ranked, so the score that actually gets invited is set by everyone else in the pool for your occupation.
Your age when you are invited to apply - not when you lodge your EOI.
Competent English is the threshold to apply; only Proficient and Superior score.
In your nominated occupation or a closely related one, in the last 10 years.
In your nominated occupation or a closely related one, in the last 10 years. Australian and overseas experience combined are capped at 20 points.
Your highest qualification, recognised as comparable to the Australian standard.
An Australian Masters by research or Doctorate in a STEM or ICT field, with at least two academic years of study.
At least two academic years of study in Australia meeting the study requirement.
Study that met the Australian study requirement while living and studying in a designated regional area.
A completed Professional Year in accounting, engineering or ICT in the last four years.
A NAATI credential at certified translator or interpreter level.
Scored on your partner, not you. A partner who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident scores the same as having no partner.
Age is scored at the date you are invited, so a birthday between lodging your EOI and being invited can cost you 5 or 10 points.
How the calculator scores you
It applies the bands in the Migration Regulations, including the rule most calculators get wrong: Australian and overseas skilled employment are added together and then capped at 20 points. Eight years overseas plus five years in Australia is 20 points, not 30.
A redesign of the points test has been under discussion since the Migration Strategy, with proposals to reweight partner points, English and experience. As at August 2026 none of it is legislated - the bands below are the ones in force. Treat any site quoting a new table as describing a proposal, not the law.
The full points table
| Factor | Claim | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 18 to 24 years | 25 |
| 25 to 32 years | 30 | |
| 33 to 39 years | 25 | |
| 40 to 44 years | 15 | |
| 45 years or over (not eligible) | 0 | |
| English language ability | Competent English (IELTS 6 in each component) | 0 |
| Proficient English (IELTS 7 in each component) | 10 | |
| Superior English (IELTS 8 in each component) | 20 | |
| Skilled employment outside Australia | Less than 3 years | 0 |
| 3 to 4 years | 5 | |
| 5 to 7 years | 10 | |
| 8 to 10 years | 15 | |
| Skilled employment in Australia | Less than 1 year | 0 |
| 1 to 2 years | 5 | |
| 3 to 4 years | 10 | |
| 5 to 7 years | 15 | |
| 8 to 10 years | 20 | |
| Educational qualification | Doctorate from an Australian or recognised overseas institution | 20 |
| Bachelor or Masters degree | 15 | |
| Diploma or trade qualification completed in Australia | 10 | |
| Qualification recognised by your assessing authority | 10 | |
| None of these | 0 | |
| Specialist education qualification | No | 0 |
| Yes | 10 | |
| Australian study requirement | No | 0 |
| Yes | 5 | |
| Study in regional Australia | No | 0 |
| Yes | 5 | |
| Professional Year in Australia | No | 0 |
| Yes | 5 | |
| Credentialled community language | No | 0 |
| Yes | 5 | |
| Partner skills | Single, or partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident | 10 |
| Partner has competent English, a positive skills assessment and is under 45 | 10 | |
| Partner has competent English only | 5 | |
| Partner does not meet either | 0 | |
| Nomination (190) | State or territory nomination adds 5 points. | 5 |
| Nomination (491) | Regional nomination or eligible family sponsorship adds 15 points. | 15 |
Where the points usually come from
- English is the cheapest points on the board. Competent to Proficient is 10 points and Superior is 20 - more than most people gain from years of extra work experience. See the exact scores on Superior English.
- Partner points are often overlooked. A partner with Competent English and a positive skills assessment is 10 points; Competent English alone is 5. If your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident you claim the full 10 regardless.
- Nomination changes the maths. A state nomination adds 5 points on the 190; regional nomination or family sponsorship adds 15 on the 491. Compare the three in 189 vs 190 vs 491.
- Age is the one that decays. Points drop at 33, again at 40, and hit zero at 45. Every other factor can be improved; this one only gets worse.
What happens after you have the points
- Get a positive skills assessment from the assessing authority for your occupation.
- Sit your English test - the result must be valid when you lodge.
- Submit an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect with your claims.
- Wait to be invited. An EOI is not an application and carries no queue position of its own.
- Lodge within 60 days of the invitation, with evidence for every claim you made.
Overclaiming in an EOI is the most common way applicants lose a visa they could have had - the points you claim must be evidenced at lodgement, and a claim you cannot prove can lead to refusal rather than a reduced score. Read the detail on how the points test works.
Frequently asked questions
How many points do I need for Australian PR in 2026?
Sixty-five points is the minimum to be invited for a subclass 189, 190 or 491. That is the legislated floor. Because invitations are ranked, the score that is actually invited is usually higher and varies by occupation and by round.
Is 65 points enough for a 189 visa?
It makes you eligible, not competitive. Invitation rounds routinely clear above 65, so most candidates at exactly 65 wait a long time or pivot to a state-nominated 190 or a regional 491.
How can I increase my points score?
In rough order of return: improve English to Proficient or Superior (10 to 20 points), claim partner points by having your partner sit an English test and a skills assessment (5 to 10), add a NAATI community language credential (5), a Professional Year (5), or seek state or regional nomination (5 to 15).
Do Australian and overseas work experience points add up?
They are added together and then capped at 20 points in total. This is the single most common mistake in self-calculated scores.
At what age do you stop getting points?
Points drop from 30 to 25 at 33, to 15 at 40, and to zero at 45. Applicants aged 45 or over are not eligible for the points-tested skilled visas.
Is the points test changing in 2026?
A redesign has been proposed and consulted on, but nothing is legislated as at August 2026. The bands in this calculator are the ones currently in force.