Australia PR & EOI Points Calculator 2026 — Subclass 189, 190 and 491
Select your age, English, work experience, qualifications, partner situation and more, item by item, for an instant estimated score with a full breakdown. Subclasses 189, 190 and 491 use the same official points table; the 190 and 491 nomination or sponsorship points are added automatically — they only count once you actually hold that nomination or sponsorship.
Point values are taken from the Department of Home Affairs official points tables and are identical to the points-table page on this site — the subclass 189 table verified on 12 August 2026, the 190 and 491 tables on 13 August 2026.
189, 190 and 491 points calculator: one points table, different nomination points
The three points-tested skilled visas score the same 11 factors with the same 28 point values. The only difference is what is added on top: nothing for subclass 189, 5 points for a State or Territory nomination on subclass 190, and 15 points for nomination or eligible family sponsorship on subclass 491. The calculator above adds these automatically when you choose the visa — they only count once you actually hold that nomination or sponsorship.
Skilled Independent visa — 189 points calculator
No nomination or sponsorship points. Your subclass 189 score is the sum of the 11 factors below, as they stand on the day the Department issues your invitation. Invitations are issued through SkillSelect rounds, ranked by score within each occupation.
Read the subclass 189 guide →Skilled Nominated visa — 190 points calculator
Adds 5 points for nomination by a State or Territory government agency. Each State and Territory runs its own nomination program with its own occupation lists and conditions; the points test itself is the same. A 190 score is your base score plus 5.
Skilled migration overview →Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa — 491 points calculator
Adds 15 points for nomination by a State or Territory government agency, or sponsorship by an eligible family member living in a designated regional area. Same base table; a 491 score is your base score plus 15.
Skilled migration overview →How Australia PR points are calculated: all 11 factors and their point values
Every factor is assessed on the day the Department issues your invitation. The values below are the Department of Home Affairs points table verified in August 2026 and are the same values the calculator uses. The full conditions behind each band are on the Australian skilled migration points table page; whether a claim stands is decided by the skills assessment and the Department.
Age
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| At least 18 but less than 25 years | 25 |
| At least 25 but less than 33 years | 30 |
| At least 33 but less than 40 years | 25 |
| At least 40 but less than 45 years | 15 |
| 45 years or over | Not eligible |
Age is assessed at the date of invitation, not at the date you lodge the EOI. You must be under 45 to be invited. The 30-point band runs from your 25th birthday to the day before your 33rd, which is why age is the factor that moves against you on a fixed date while an EOI waits in the pool.
English language ability
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| Competent English — IELTS 6 in each component, or equivalent | 0 |
| Proficient English — IELTS 7 in each component, or equivalent | 10 |
| Superior English — IELTS 8 in each component, or equivalent | 20 |
Competent English is the baseline requirement for the points-tested visas and scores no points on its own. The bands are set by the lowest of the four components, so a 7-7-7-6.5 result is Competent, not Proficient. PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, OET and Cambridge C1 Advanced have equivalent thresholds; the result must be one the Department accepts and still valid at the date of invitation.
Overseas skilled employment (outside Australia)
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than 3 years | 0 |
| At least 3 but less than 5 years | 5 |
| At least 5 but less than 8 years | 10 |
| At least 8 years | 15 |
Counts paid work of at least 20 hours a week in your nominated occupation, or a closely related occupation, outside Australia in the 10 years before invitation. Overseas and Australian skilled employment are scored separately, but together they are capped at 20 points.
Australian skilled employment (in Australia)
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 0 |
| At least 1 but less than 3 years | 5 |
| At least 3 but less than 5 years | 10 |
| At least 5 but less than 8 years | 15 |
| At least 8 years | 20 |
Same occupation and 20-hour rule, for work in Australia in the 10 years before invitation. The work must have been done while holding a substantive visa, or a Bridging visa A or B, and in line with that visa’s conditions. Combined with overseas employment the cap is 20 points.
Educational qualifications
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| Doctorate — Australian institution, or of a recognised standard | 20 |
| At least a Bachelor degree — Australian institution, or of a recognised standard | 15 |
| Diploma or trade qualification from an Australian institution | 10 |
| Qualification recognised by the assessing authority as suitable for your nominated occupation | 10 |
| None of the above | 0 |
Only your highest qualification counts — qualifications do not add up. An overseas degree scores when the Department accepts it as being of a standard comparable to the Australian award, which usually follows the view your skills assessing authority took of it.
Specialist education qualification
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| Research Masters or Doctorate from an Australian institution, with at least two academic years in a specified STEM or ICT field | 10 |
These 10 points are in addition to the qualification points above. The degree must be a research degree completed in Australia, in a field on the Department’s specified list.
Australian study requirement
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| At least one degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian institution that meets the Australian study requirement | 5 |
Broadly: a registered course taught in English, completed in Australia over at least two academic years while holding a visa that allowed you to study. Meeting this requirement is also the gateway to the regional study points.
Study in regional Australia
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| Met the Australian study requirement while living and studying in a designated regional area | 5 |
The course must have been completed at a campus in a designated regional area while you lived in a regional area. Distance education does not count, even from a regional provider.
Professional Year
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| Professional Year in Australia — accounting, ICT or engineering — completed in the 48 months before invitation | 5 |
A Professional Year program of at least 12 months, completed in Australia in the 48 months before the date of invitation, in accounting, ICT or engineering, in your nominated occupation or a closely related one, delivered by one of the five bodies the Department lists (ACS, CPA Australia, CA ANZ, IPA, Engineers Australia).
Credentialled community language (NAATI)
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| NAATI credential at the required level held at the date of invitation | 5 |
A NAATI Credentialled Community Language (CCL) credential, or a NAATI translator or interpreter credential — at the paraprofessional level or above under the old accreditation, or Certified Provisional or above under the current certification. The credential must be held at the date of invitation.
Partner skills
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| Single, or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident | 10 |
| Partner is also an applicant and meets the age, English and skills criteria | 10 |
| Partner is also an applicant and has Competent English | 5 |
| Partner is also an applicant but does not meet the criteria above | 0 |
“Meets the age, English and skills criteria” means: your partner is applying for the same visa, was under 45 at the time you were invited, has Competent English, has nominated an occupation on the same skilled occupation list as yours, and holds a suitable skills assessment for that occupation (not one issued for a subclass 485 visa). The Department notes that partner points are not assessed as at the time of invitation and may not be awarded if your marital status changes while the application is being processed.
A worked example: how the points add up
A 28-year-old accountant with a Bachelor degree, Proficient English, three years of skilled work outside Australia, no Australian work experience and no partner.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Age — at least 25 but less than 33 years | 30 |
| English — Proficient (IELTS 7 in each component) | 10 |
| Overseas skilled employment — at least 3 but less than 5 years | 5 |
| Australian skilled employment — less than 1 year | 0 |
| Educational qualifications — Bachelor degree | 15 |
| Partner skills — single | 10 |
| Subclass 189 score (no nomination points) | 70 |
| Subclass 190 score (+5 State or Territory nomination) | 75 |
| Subclass 491 score (+15 nomination or family sponsorship) | 85 |
This example only adds up the table. All three scores are above the 65-point threshold, so the EOI can enter the pool; whether 70, 75 or 85 points leads to an invitation depends on the invitation round, the occupation and how the score ranks — see the common questions below.
Common questions about the Australia PR and EOI points calculator
How do I calculate my Australia PR points?
Add the points from the 11 factors above — age, English, overseas and Australian skilled employment, qualifications, specialist education, Australian study, regional study, Professional Year, community language and partner — as they stand on the date of invitation. For subclass 190 add 5 points for State or Territory nomination; for subclass 491 add 15 points for nomination or eligible family sponsorship. The calculator at the top of this page does the arithmetic and shows the breakdown item by item.
How many points do you need to submit an EOI?
65 points is the minimum score set by the Department for the points-tested skilled visas (subclass 189, 190 and 491). Reaching 65 means your EOI can enter the SkillSelect pool; it does not mean you will be invited.
Can I get PR with 65 points?
65 points makes you eligible to lodge an EOI, nothing more. Whether you are invited depends on how your score ranks against other intending applicants in your occupation and on the invitation numbers in that round. Scores that actually receive invitations are usually well above 65 — applicants in popular occupations commonly need 80 points or more to be competitive. That is an observation from past invitation rounds, not a fixed standard published by the Department, and it changes from round to round.
Can I submit an EOI with 60 points?
No. 65 points is the threshold for lodging an EOI for subclass 189, 190 and 491. The factors that can move a score are listed above — the English band, Australian skilled employment, a Professional Year, a NAATI credential, partner points, or State or Territory nomination.
Is 75 points enough for a 189 visa?
There is no fixed invitation score. In each round the Department invites the highest-ranked EOIs in each occupation, so 75 points may or may not be invited depending on the occupation and the round. The Department publishes the results of each invitation round; check the most recent rounds for your occupation rather than relying on a single number.
Is 75 points enough for a 190 visa?
A subclass 190 score already includes the 5 nomination points, so 75 points for 190 means a 70-point base score plus nomination. Beyond the score, each State and Territory sets its own nomination criteria — occupation lists, residence, work and sometimes job-offer requirements — and nominations are limited by each State’s allocation. Points alone do not decide a 190 outcome.
Is 70 points enough for a 491 visa?
A subclass 491 score includes the 15 nomination or sponsorship points, so 70 points for 491 means a 55-point base score plus 15. As with subclass 190, the State or Territory nomination criteria and allocations, or the eligible family sponsorship, decide the outcome alongside the score. 70 is above the 65 threshold, so the EOI can enter the pool.
What is the EOI points score for 2026?
The point values have not changed since November 2019; this page reflects the Department of Home Affairs tables as at August 2026. What changes with every round is the invitation cut-off — the lowest score invited in each occupation — which the Department publishes after each round. If the Department changes the points test, this page and the calculator will be updated.
Where is the Australia PR points table for 2026?
The full table with every band and condition is on our Australian skilled migration points table page. The official versions are on the Department of Home Affairs website for subclass 189, 190 and 491 — the links are in the source section below. The values on this page are identical to both.
How are 189 visa points calculated?
Exactly as set out above, with no nomination points: a subclass 189 score is the sum of the 11 factors only. The same base score plus 5 is your subclass 190 score, and plus 15 your subclass 491 score.
Is 189 or 190 faster?
They are different processes rather than a fast lane and a slow lane. Subclass 189 has no State stage — the invitation comes directly from the Department. Subclass 190 needs a State or Territory nomination first, then the invitation, and the State stage has its own criteria and timing. Which route is realistic depends on your occupation, your score, and which States nominate that occupation.
How can I improve my points score?
The factors that can change are: English (Proficient adds 10, Superior 20), Australian skilled employment (up to 20, within the 20-point combined employment cap), a Professional Year (5), a NAATI credential (5), a higher qualification, meeting the Australian study or regional study requirement (5 each), and partner points (5 or 10). Age moves the other way — the 30-point band ends at 33. Which of these apply to you is a question of eligibility, not arithmetic; a registered migration agent can check each claim.
After your estimate, read these two pages
Australian Skilled Migration Points Table — Subclass 189, 190 and 491
Every band and condition for all 11 points-scoring factors — how many points each band is worth, and what has to be true for a claim to count.
Read the full points table →Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) — the EOI points system
Subclass 189 requirements, the invitation process and the full application steps.
Read the 189 guide →Where these point values come from
The 11 points-scoring factors and 28 base point values in this calculator are taken item by item from the Department of Home Affairs official points tables (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au); the 190 and 491 nomination/sponsorship points have been compared against the official tables. The wording has been edited for readability; no point value or band condition has been changed.
Figures are current as at the build date. Visa policy and point values can change at any time; this tool will be updated when the Department publishes a change. Before acting, rely on the Department’s website or advice from a registered migration agent.
Not sure your score adds up the way you think?
When a score turns out to be wrong, it is rarely the arithmetic — it is a judgement call on one of the factors. Newstars offers a free skilled migration points assessment and feasibility review, with bilingual consultants one-on-one.
