We have been waiting since Australia’s new financial year began in July, and last week the states finally released their allocations — but the news we received was not what we had hoped for. As most of you will have seen, the state allocations published by the Department of Home Affairs last week cut the Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 places by around 70%. The change came suddenly, and the state governments were caught unprepared. Western Australia was the first to step forward and push the Commonwealth for additional places. Whether things will turn around later is hard to say — the rules of the game still follow the Commonwealth’s requirements.
With this policy now a settled fact, it will have some impact on state-nominated invitations this financial year. We are unlikely to see as many low-points invitations as last financial year, but opportunities will always exist. If an applicant already meets the requirements for skilled migration, it is essential to follow the application process — complete your skills assessment early, sit your English test, and accumulate the points you need. The moment a favourable window opens, it will be first come, first served.
When the policy environment is unfavourable, the only thing you can change is yourself — so mindset and patience matter a great deal.
So let’s talk about how to earn yourself more points within the EOI scoring categories:
If the primary applicant is single or divorced, they receive the 10 points for being single.
If the applicant is married, partner skills points are worth considering.
There are two partner-points scenarios
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Scenario 1: If the partner’s work background cannot support a skills assessment, they can sit an English test for a 6 in each of the four bands, i.e. 50 in each of the four PTE bands, which adds 5 points for the primary applicant, and there is no age limit on the partner for this tier of points.
Scenario 2: If the partner’s work experience can support a skills assessment, and they also sit an English test for a 6 in each of the four bands, this can help the primary applicant gain 10 points, but note one point: for this tier the partner must be under 45 years of age. Also note that the partner’s occupation must sit on the same list category as the primary applicant’s occupation to qualify for the 10 points. For example, if the primary applicant’s occupation is on the M or S list while the partner’s occupation is on the R list, the 10-point tier cannot be claimed. In the reverse situation, points can still be awarded to the primary applicant.
Finally, there are the points the primary applicant can lift on their own — pushing for high PTE scores of 7 across the board or 8 across the board, and sitting a CCL community-language credentialed translation test (taken online, this adds a further 5 points).
Both partners hold a skills assessment and English
Boosting the chance of an invitation
With the partner points above — especially the 10-point partner tier — where both the primary and secondary applicants hold their own skills assessments and can each contribute points to the other, the couple can submit state-nomination applications for whichever of their occupations is open at the same time, increasing the likelihood of an invitation.
For example, when applying for ACT state nomination, having partner points in the matrix score yields a higher total, and a greater chance of being invited.
Take the points categories for an overseas applicant as an example:
Case study 1:
Occupation on the ACT Critical Skills List: 20 points
Primary applicant scores 7 across all PTE bands: 10 points
Primary applicant’s work-experience points in the 8–10 year tier: 20 points
Partner points, with the partner’s occupation also on the ACT Critical Skills List: 15 points
Primary applicant holds a master’s degree: 15 points
Matrix total: 80 points
Case study 2:
Occupation on the ACT Critical Skills List: 20 points
Primary applicant scores 8 across all PTE bands: 15 points
Primary applicant’s work experience in the 3–5 year tier: 10 points
Partner scores 7 across all PTE bands: 5 points
Partner’s work experience on the ACT Critical Skills List: 15 points
Primary applicant holds a master’s qualification: 15 points
Matrix total: 80 points
In short, for advice on how to optimise your EOI score and how to position each of your occupations to maximise points, you are warmly welcome to get in touch. We also sincerely wish you every success this financial year.
Past articles worth revisiting
The 2023–24 state-nomination allocations are all out! Will this be a good financial year?
In truth, many people overlook the most expensive hidden cost on the migration journey: time.
This pathway means no more agonising annual wait for allocations — no points race, low English requirements, and fast processing for all occupations!
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