The points required for Australia PR come in two numbers, and confusing them is the most common mistake. There is the minimum score to be allowed to submit an Expression of Interest, and there is the far higher score actually being invited in recent rounds for your occupation. Meeting the first does not get you invited.
Australia’s Permanent Residency (PR) pathway for skilled workers operates on a points-based system. This system assesses applicants based on various factors to determine their eligibility for migration. The higher your points, the better your chances of receiving an invitation to apply for PR.
The PR points system is a structured method used by the Australian government to evaluate potential immigrants under the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program. Points are awarded based on criteria such as age, English language proficiency, work experience, and educational qualifications.
Achieving the minimum required points is essential to be considered for PR. However, meeting just the minimum doesn’t guarantee an invitation. Higher points increase your competitiveness in the pool of applicants, enhancing your chances of selection.
As of 2025, the minimum points required to be eligible for Australia PR under the GSM program is 65. This applies to visa subclasses 189 (Skilled Independent), 190 (Skilled Nominated), and 491 (Skilled Work Regional).
Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent): Requires at least 65 points without any state or family sponsorship.
Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated): Requires state nomination, which adds 5 points to your total score.
Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional): Requires regional nomination or family sponsorship, adding 15 points to your total score.
Age plays a significant role in the points calculation:
18-24 years: 25 points
25-32 years: 30 points
33-39 years: 25 points
40-44 years: 15 points
45 and above: 0 points
Your English skills are assessed through standardized tests:
Competent English: 0 points
Proficient English: 10 points
Superior English: 20 points
Points are awarded for skilled work experience:
Overseas Experience:
3-5 years: 5 points
5-8 years: 10 points
8-10 years: 15 points
Australian Experience:
1 year: 5 points
3 years: 10 points
5 years: 15 points
8 years: 20 points
Recognized qualifications earn points:
Doctorate: 20 points
Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree: 15 points
Australian Diploma or Trade Qualification: 10 points
Completing at least two years of study in Australia can add 5 points to your total score.
A Master’s degree by research or a Doctorate from an Australian educational institution in a relevant field can earn you an additional 10 points.
If your partner meets certain criteria, you can gain extra points:
Skilled Partner: 10 points
Competent English: 5 points
Single Applicant: 10 points
State or territory nomination and family sponsorship can significantly boost your points:
Points are awarded across the categories below. You must score at least 65 to be able to lodge an expression of interest — but 65 is the floor, not the target. See the next section for what actually gets invited.
| Age at invitation | Points |
|---|---|
| 18-24 | 25 |
| 25-32 | 30 |
| 33-39 | 25 |
| 40-44 | 15 |
| 45 and over | 0 – not eligible |
Age is the one factor you cannot improve, and it is the largest single block of points. If you are approaching 33, or 40, the cost of delay is measured in points rather than months.
| Level | IELTS equivalent | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Competent | 6 in each band | 0 – the minimum to apply |
| Proficient | 7 in each band | 10 |
| Superior | 8 in each band | 20 |
This is where most Indian applicants gain the fastest points. Moving from Competent to Superior is worth 20 points and costs only the time and fee of a retest. Many applicants who believe they are short of points are actually one English attempt away.
| Years | Outside Australia | In Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 3-4 years | 5 | 5 (1-2 yrs) |
| 5-7 years | 10 | 10 (3-4 yrs) |
| 8-10 years | 15 | 15 (5-7 yrs) |
| 8+ years in Australia | – | 20 |
Only experience assessed as skilled and relevant to your nominated occupation counts, and only after the date your skills assessment recognises. Years worked before you held the qualifying qualification are usually excluded.
| Qualification | Points |
|---|---|
| Doctorate from an Australian or recognised institution | 20 |
| Bachelor or Master degree | 15 |
| Diploma or trade qualification completed in Australia | 10 |
| Award or qualification recognised by the assessing authority | 10 |
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Australian study requirement (2 academic years) | 5 |
| Specialist education – Masters by research or PhD in a STEM field | 10 |
| Professional Year in Australia | 5 |
| Credentialled community language (NAATI) | 5 |
| Study in a regional area of Australia | 5 |
| Partner with a positive skills assessment and Competent English | 10 |
| Partner with Competent English only | 5 |
| Single applicant, or partner is an Australian citizen or PR | 10 |
| State or territory nomination (subclass 190) | 5 |
| Regional nomination or family sponsorship (subclass 491) | 15 |
Point values are set by the Department of Home Affairs and are revised from time to time. Confirm your own score against the official points calculator before you pay for a skills assessment.
This is the single most important thing to understand, and it is where most applicants are misled. Reaching 65 lets you submit an expression of interest. It does not mean you will be invited.
Plan for a competitive score for your occupation, not for 65.
What rarely works: a second bachelor’s degree for 0 extra points, or waiting for age points that only ever decrease.
Graduates have access to points others do not – the Australian study requirement (5), regional study (5), specialist STEM education (10) and the Professional Year (5). Combined with a subclass 485 graduate visa to accumulate local skilled experience, this is the most reliable route from student to permanent resident.
Read the full route in our guide to getting PR after studying in Australia.
It is enough to submit an expression of interest, not to be invited. Invitations for subclass 189 have generally required scores well above 65, and the effective cut-off varies by occupation.
English. Moving from Competent to Superior is worth 20 points and needs only a retest. Nothing else delivers as much for as little.
Your score is recalculated at invitation, not at submission. That cuts both ways – you gain points as experience accrues, and lose them the day you cross an age band.
Not directly under the general skilled points test. Employer-sponsored visas are a separate route with their own criteria rather than a points bonus.
Yes. A partner with a positive skills assessment in an occupation on the same list, plus Competent English and under 45, is worth 10 points.
Our Australia team in Hyderabad will score your profile against the current criteria and tell you honestly whether to lodge now or fix the English band first.
