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Overview

The skill stream of Australia's migration program targets people who are highly skilled, are under 45 years of age, and who will quickly make a contribution to the Australian economy.

To make a valid application, applicants or their spouses must be able to satisfy the basic requirements below.

If you are not able to satisfy these basic requirements, you should not continue with a general skilled migration application.

Three main categories

To apply for migration, you need to select the appropriate visa. These are organized into three categories:

Regular General Skilled - for applicants generally outside Australia;

Onshore Skilled Overseas Student - for overseas students currently studying in Australia;

Onshore New Zealand Citizen - for NZ citizens currently in Australia.

Three sub-categories within each main category

Within these three categories there are the following two types of points tested visa applications (scroll down for points test):

Independent - for those who meet the basic requirements and do not have a sponsoring relative (scroll down to tally your points)
Australian sponsored - for those who have a sponsor and an assurer, but where the sponsor lives outside a designated (regional) area. If your sponsor lives in a built up area. You must be directly related to your sponsor (scroll down to tally your points).

There is one non-points tested visa application:

Designated area sponsored - for those who have a sponsor and an assurer. The sponsor must live in a designated area, and you must be related to your sponsor

You Must Meet the Basic Requirements for All Skilled Visas

Age
You must be under 45 years of age when you apply.

English language
You must have sufficient ability in the English language for working in Australia. This is known as 'vocational English'.

A higher level of English is required for certain occupations where English ability forms part of the skills assessment. This information will be available from the relevant assessing authority.

In the Skilled–Designated Area and the Skill Matching visa categories, a lower level of English may apply.
Qualifications
You must have post-secondary (such as university or trade) qualifications (in Management or IT occupations, substantial relevant work experience may be acceptable).

Your skills must have been assessed by the relevant assessing authority as suitable for your nominated occupation.

Nominated occupation
When you apply, you must nominate an occupation which fits your skills and qualifications. Your nominated occupation must be on the Skilled Occupations List (SOL) and you will score 60, 50 or 40 points.

Recent work experience
This requirement is separate from the need to have your skills assessed as suitable for your nominated occupation before you apply.

If your nominated occupation is worth 60 points (see the points for your nominated occupation on the SOL), you must have been in paid employment in a skilled occupation (any on the SOL) for at least 12 of the 18 months immediately before applying.

If your nominated occupation is worth 40 or 50 points, you must have been in paid employment in a skilled occupation (any on the SOL) for at least 2 of the 3 years immediately before applying.

For certain occupations, a longer period of specific work experience is required to obtain a suitable skills assessment (for example, manager).

For Independent and Australian Sponsored Visa Applications You must Pass the Points Test

You receive the points allocated for your nominated occupation after the relevant assessment authority for your nominated skilled occupation determines that your skills are suitable.

Skill	Points
For most occupations where training is specific to the occupation	60
For more general professional occupations	50
For other general skilled occupations	40

Points for age

Points are allocated for your age at the time of application. You need to be under 45 years of age or you can not apply

Age	Points
18 to 29 years	30
30 to 34 years	25
35 to 39 years	20
40 to 44 years	15

Points for English language ability

English language ability	Points
Competent English - a generally effective command of the language, and the ability to use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. If required you will score 6+ on each of the four components of the IELTS test.	20
Vocational English - a reasonable command of the English language, coping with overall meaning in most situations and the ability to communicate effectively in nominated field of employment. If required you will score 5+ on each of the four components of the IELTS test.	15

Points for specific work experience

Work Experience	Points
If your nominated occupation is worth 60 points under Skill, and you have worked in your nominated occupation, or a closely related occupation, for at least 3 of the 4 years immediately before you apply	10
If your nominated occupation is worth 40, 50 or 60 points under Skill, and you have worked in any occupation on the Skilled Occupations List for at least 3 or the 4 years immediately before you apply	5

Points for occupation in demand/job offer

A number of occupations/specialisations have been identified as being in demand in Australia. They are listed on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL).

You may receive points if your nominated occupation is on the MODL that is current at the time your application is assessed.

For occupation in demand, with job offer	15
For occupation in demand, but no job offer	10

Points for Australian qualifications

Applicants with Australian qualifications have a greater chance of employment in Australia.

Points may be awarded for only one of the following Australian qualifications completed whilst present in Australia and where all the instruction was in English:

Qualification	Points
You have completed an Australian doctorate at an Australian educational institution after a period of at least 2 years full time (2 academic years) while in Australia	15
You have completed an Australian Masters or Honours degree (at least upper second class level) at an Australian educational institution while in Australia, and prior to completing the Masters or Honours degree, you were awarded an Australian bachelor degree as a result of at least 1 year full time study while in Australia. The total period of full time study in Australia was at least 2 years (2 academic years)	10
You have completed full time study in Australia for a total of at least 2 years (2 academic years) towards the award of a degree, diploma or trade qualification	5

Points for regional Australia/low population growth metropolitan areas

Applicants who can claim points for Australian qualifications may also be eligible to claim points for having lived and studied for at least 2 years in regional Australia or low population growth metropolitan areas.

Having lived and studied for at least 2 years in one or more areas in regional Australia or low population growth metropolitan areas

5 points

The following areas meet one or other of the definitions:

all of NSW is included except for Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast and Wollongong;

all of Victoria is included, except for Melbourne;

all of Queensland is included, except for Brisbane and the Gold Coast;

all of Western Australia, except for Perth;

in South Australia, Adelaide is included due to its low population growth rate being less than 50 per cent of the national average. The rest of South Australia is also included;

all of Tasmania is included;

all of the Northern Territory is included, and

note: no area in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is included

Click here for the list of the postcodes of areas gazetted as regional Australia or low population growth metropolitan areas.

Click here for the list of the campuses gazetted as being in regional Australia or low population growth metropolitan areas.

Points for spouse / opposite-sex partner skills

Points may be awarded if your spouse / partner if they are also able to satisfy the basic requirements of age, English language ability, qualifications, nominated occupation and recent work experience and has obtained a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated occupation.

Spouse skills

5 points

Bonus points

Points may be awarded for one only of the following:

Capital investment in Australia (a minimum of A$100,000); or

Australian work experience (an applicant must have legally worked in Australia in any occupation on the Skilled Occupations List for at least 6 months in the 4 years before lodging an application); or

Fluency in another language (other than English) ie if you studied university where instruction was in that language OR would be willing to have your language tested by NAATI

5 points

Points for relationship (for applicants for the Skilled–Australian sponsored category only)

Points for relationship may be awarded if an applicant or their spouse has a relative who is an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, and who is willing to sponsor them.

The applicant or their spouse must be related to the sponsor as either a non-dependent child, a parent, a brother or sister, or a niece or nephew.

Relationship

15 points

The current pass marks are:

Category	Current Pass Mark
Skilled–Independent	120
Skilled–Australian sponsored	110
Skilled–Independent Overseas Student	120
Skilled–Australian sponsored Overseas Student	110
Skilled–Onshore Independent New Zealand citizen	120
Skilled–Onshore Australian sponsored New Zealand citizen	110

For a free assessment of your eligibility please go to the assessment page on this website.

To purchase a DIY application kit, our full service or our upgrade service for a particular visa type, please click through to the visa type appropriate for you and select from the products available. More information is available on each type of skilled visa as you click through the site.