Australia · Skilled visas · 2026
Australia PR Points Table 2026: How 189, 190 and 491 Scores Actually Work
Sixty-five points lets you enter SkillSelect. It does not mean you will be invited. This page walks the official points table, the nomination extras, English scores from August 2025, and why two people with the same total get different outcomes.
The number everyone quotes — and the number that matters
The Home Affairs points table for subclass 189 is the same backbone used for 190 and 491. You need at least 65 points to submit an expression of interest. Invitations then go to the highest-ranked EOIs for that subclass. Equal scores are split by the date that score first appeared on the EOI (the “date of effect”).
So the Australia PR points table 2026 answers “can I lodge?” It does not answer “will I be invited this year?” Construction trades have been invited at 65 in some 2026 rounds. Several ICT and accounting occupations have sat through rounds with no 189 invitations at any published score. Occupation list + invitation ceiling + your date of effect sit on top of the table.
Australia PR points table 2026 (SkillSelect)
Points are generally assessed at invitation. You must be under 45 when invited. Work years must be in the nominated occupation or a closely related occupation, usually in the last 10 years, at the skilled hours threshold.
Age
| Age at invitation | Points |
|---|---|
| At least 18 and under 25 | 25 |
| At least 25 and under 33 | 30 |
| At least 33 and under 40 | 25 |
| At least 40 and under 45 | 15 |
English
| Level | Points |
|---|---|
| Competent English | 0 |
| Proficient English | 10 |
| Superior English | 20 |
Competent English is the visa threshold for many applicants. It does not add points. The lift sits at proficient and superior. See the test-score section below for sittings on or after 7 August 2025.
Skilled employment — outside Australia
| Years (last 10) | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than 3 years | 0 |
| At least 3 and under 5 | 5 |
| At least 5 and under 8 | 10 |
| At least 8 years | 15 |
Skilled employment — in Australia
| Years (last 10) | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 0 |
| At least 1 and under 3 | 5 |
| At least 3 and under 5 | 10 |
| At least 5 and under 8 | 15 |
| At least 8 years | 20 |
Overseas and Australian employment are separate rows, but Schedule 6D caps combined skilled-employment points. Do not add 15 + 20 and assume 35. Confirm the combined cap on the live Home Affairs table before you lock an EOI total.
Educational qualifications
| Highest recognised qualification | Points |
|---|---|
| Doctorate (Australian or recognised standard) | 20 |
| Bachelor or higher (Australian or recognised standard) | 15 |
| Australian diploma or trade qualification | 10 |
| Qualification recognised by your assessing authority | 10 |
Only the highest award counts. A bachelor plus a diploma is still the bachelor band unless the doctorate band applies.
Other SkillSelect factors
| Factor | Typical points |
|---|---|
| Australian specialist education (research masters or PhD in a specified STEM/ICT field) | 10 |
| Australian study requirement (at least 2 academic years) | 5 |
| Study in regional Australia (meets the regional study rules) | 5 |
| Professional Year in Australia (completed in the 48 months before invitation) | 5 |
| Credentialled community language (NAATI) | 5 |
| Partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or you are single | 10 |
| Partner under 45 with a suitable skills assessment and competent English | 10 |
| Partner has competent English only | 5 |
| Subclass 190 state / territory nomination | 5 |
| Subclass 491 state nomination or eligible family sponsorship | 15 |
Partner points are one band, not stacked. Nomination points apply only after the state or family sponsorship is in place for that subclass.
English scores for tests taken from 7 August 2025
Home Affairs republished language tables for tests on or after 7 August 2025. Component scores matter. An overall 8 with one band at 7 is proficient, not superior. Official breakdowns live on the language ability help page.
| Test | Proficient (10 pts) L/R/W/S | Superior (20 pts) L/R/W/S |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic or General Training | 7 / 7 / 7 / 7 | 8 / 8 / 8 / 8 |
| PTE Academic | 58 / 59 / 69 / 76 | 69 / 70 / 85 / 88 |
| TOEFL iBT | 22 / 22 / 26 / 24 | 26 / 27 / 30 / 28 |
| C1 Advanced | 175 / 179 / 193 / 194 | 186 / 190 / 210 / 208 |
| OET | 350 / 360 / 380 / 360 | 390 / 400 / 420 / 400 |
| CELPIP General | 9 / 8 / 10 / 8 | 10 / 10 / 12 / 10 |
If your last test was before 7 August 2025, use the older Home Affairs table for that sitting. Do not mix old overall-band folklore with the new component floors.
Same table, three different visas
A 70 raw score becomes 75 on a 190 and 85 on a 491 — if nomination actually arrives. Do not add those bonuses on an EOI before the state has nominated you. Compare pathways in Visaora’s Australia 189 and 190 points estimator guide.
Where extra points usually come from
Most stalled profiles are not missing a secret category. They are stuck on English, age band, or an occupation that is not being invited.
- English: competent → proficient is +10. Proficient → superior is another +10. This is still the fastest lawful lift for many offshore professionals.
- Partner skills: a partner skills assessment plus competent English can move 5 to 10 points if the single/partner-citizen band does not already apply.
- Australian study + Professional Year + regional study: stacked only if each rule is truly met. PY must finish inside the 48-month invitation window.
- State nomination: +5 or +15 changes the ranking overnight, but states close lists. Nomination is a second application, not an automatic add-on.
- Work years: wait for the next band only if the role will still be closely related and evidenced. Inflated titles fail skills-assessment review.
If the plan is “maybe Canada instead,” do not mix CRS folklore with SkillSelect. Canada’s bonus logic is a different grid — start with how to add points to an Express Entry score only after you decide the destination.
What 2026 invitation rounds are telling you
Home Affairs ran a large subclass 189 round on 4 June 2026 (10,000 invitations). Published occupation floors in that round stretched from 65 for several construction trades to the mid-90s for some science and engineering titles. The department has flagged a further 189 round expected by 30 September 2026 — check the live invitation rounds page, not screenshots.
From 19 September 2026, Ministerial Direction 122 also reordered how already-lodged permanent and provisional skilled applications are processed. Priority sectors (construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture/resources, and specified defence/law-enforcement interests) sit above other files. That is processing order after you apply, not extra points on the EOI.
A five-minute self-audit
- Is your occupation on the list for 189, 190, or 491 — not last year’s PDF?
- Do you have a suitable skills assessment that will still be valid on invitation day?
- Add age + English + work + qualification + extras using the tables above.
- Are you at or above 65 without counting a nomination you do not have?
- Look at the latest invitation floor for your occupation, not the program-wide average.
If the honest total is 65–70 in a crowded professional code, the next decision is usually English, partner evidence, a state 190/491 strategy, or a different country — not another unofficial “points hack.” For general application-risk thinking, see how to check visa approval chances in 2026.
Related Visaora guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the Australia PR points table 2026 pass mark?
65 points to lodge an EOI for 189, 190 and 491. Invitation scores are ranked and occupation-specific. 65 is necessary, not sufficient, for most professional codes.
Is the points table different for 190 and 491?
The core factors are the same. 190 adds 5 for state nomination. 491 adds 15 for state nomination or eligible family sponsorship. Those bonuses apply only when nomination or sponsorship is real.
Do I get points for competent English?
No. Competent English meets a minimum language requirement for many applicants. Points start at proficient (10) and superior (20).
Can I combine overseas and Australian work to 35 points?
No. There is a combined cap on skilled-employment points in the regulations. Count each band, then apply the cap shown on the official table.
When does my age band lock in?
At invitation, not at the first EOI save. If you will turn 33, 40, or 45 while waiting, model the lower band now.
Where do I verify this?
Home Affairs points table, SkillSelect invitation rounds, the skilled occupation list, and your assessing authority. This article is a reading guide for those pages.
If the score is close and the file is messy
Visaora Intelligence Suite is optional paid analysis for risk, document gaps, and timing. It does not replace a registered migration agent or a Home Affairs decision.
Explore Intelligence Suite →Visaora provides general information only. Points, occupation lists, and invitation rounds change. Confirm every claim on official Home Affairs pages before you lodge.
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