The minimum EOI submission score is currently 60 points, but most invitations are going to 70-pointers, 65-pointers are facing a wait, and those sitting at just 60 points are no doubt scrambling for any way to scrape together another 5 points to reach 65 — at least giving them a bit more confidence, and a real chance of being invited sooner.
Right now, the seven main power-ups you can stack to boost your migration chances are:
1. NAATI translation course: +5 points
2. PY (Professional Year): +5 points
3. IELTS four 7s: +10 points (four 8s: +20 points)
4. Partner skills points: +5 points
5. One year of onshore work experience: +5 points
6. Subclass 489 visa (+10 points)
7. Use a Subclass 190 visa (+5 points) as a back-up — double insurance.
We won’t rehash the first five power-ups here.Today, Newstarsec will walk you through how to use the two advanced power-ups — Subclass 489 and Subclass 190.
First, a heads-up: to use either of these advanced power-ups, you must first pass your skills assessment.For example, accounting students wanting to use these power-ups must first either score four 7s on IELTS or complete a Professional Year (PY).
The Subclass 489 visa is a four-year provisional residence visa — not a permanent residency visa.
It is aimed at applicants who want to migrate to Australia via the skilled migration pathway but don’t quite qualify to apply directly for skilled independent migration (Subclass 189) or skilled nominated migration (Subclass 190).
Applicants must first submit an EOI through SkillSelect. Since the minimum invitation cut-off is 60 points (and the 489 itself adds 10 points, so applicants only need to reach 50 points on their own), the applicant must be sponsored either by an Australian regional state or territory government, or by an eligible relative — and that relative must live in a designated area.
Once the visa is granted, the applicant must live in the sponsoring state or designated area for two years. With one year of full-time work experience within the four-year validity period, they can transition directly to permanent residency (Subclass 887).
Under the Subclass 489 visa, you can choose either regional state-government sponsorship or family sponsorship:
Securing sponsorship from a regional state or territory government gives you 10 bonus points. The definition of “regional area” here is the same as for the regional-study bonus. The qualifying areas are:
1. New South Wales
All areas other than Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast and Wollongong
Postcodes in the following ranges are treated as regional:
2311 – 2312, 2328 – 2411 , 2420 – 2490 , 2536 – 2551, 2575 – 2594, 2618 – 2739,
2787 – 2898
2. Queensland
All areas other than Brisbane and the Gold Coast
Postcodes in the following ranges are treated as regional:
4124 – 4125, 4133, 4211, 4270 – 4272, 4275 , 4280 , 4285 , 4287, 4307 – 4499 , 4515 , 4517 – 4519 , 4522 – 4899
3. Victoria
All areas other than Melbourne
Postcodes in the following ranges are treated as regional:
3211 – 3334 , 3340 – 3424 , 3430 – 3649 , 3658 – 3749 , 3753, 3756 , 3758, 3762 , 3764 , 3778 – 3781 , 3783 , 3797 , 3799 , 3810 – 3909 , 3921 – 3925 , 3945 – 3974 , 3979 , 3981 – 3996
4. Western Australia
All areas other than Perth and surrounding suburbs
Postcodes in the following ranges are treated as regional:
6041 – 6044, 6083 – 6084, 6121 – 6126, 6200 – 6799
5. South Australia
All areas qualify as regional
6. Tasmania
All areas qualify as regional
7. Northern Territory
All areas qualify as regional
If the applicant has a qualifying relative who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident living in a designated area, the applicant can earn an additional 10 points.
Qualifying relatives include:child, parent, sibling, nephew or niece, aunt or uncle, grandparent, or first cousin.
The designated areas are:
|
State or Territory |
Designated Areas |
|
Victoria |
Any area |
|
South Australia |
Any area |
|
Northern Territory |
Any area |
|
Tasmania |
Any area |
|
Aust Capital Territory |
Any area |
|
Queensland |
Postcode ranges 4019-4028, 4037-4050, 4079-4100, 4114, 4118, 4124-4150, 4158-4168, 4180-4899 (anywhere outside the Greater Brisbane area) |
|
Western Australia |
Any area |
|
New South Wales |
Postcode ranges 2311-2312, 2328-2333, 2336-2490, 2535-2551, 2575-2739, 2787-2898 (anywhere other than Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong) |
If the applicant is being sponsored via their partner’s relative, the partner must be included in the application.
489 visa applicants need an occupation on the SOL, a passing skills assessment, IELTS four 6s, and to be under 50 years old. Their points-test score (after adding the 10 points the 489 itself gives) must reach 60 (i.e. 50 of their own plus 10). Holders of visa Subclasses 495, 496, 475 and 487 who meet the criteria may also apply. The application can include the partner and children under 18. Also worth flagging: the family-sponsored stream of the Subclass 489 currently has a small allocation — only 20 places per round, which works out to roughly 40
places per month.
The Subclass 190 visa typically functions as a back-up to the 189, acting as a second line of defence.
Each state’s 190 nomination requirements are different. But based on what we’ve gathered so far, the states don’t pick 190 candidates on a first-come-first-served basis — instead they screen on the principles of occupation first, English level second, work experience third, and everything else after that. So students from popular majors don’t necessarily have the upper hand. Plenty of successful applicants already have 65 points and have submitted a 189 — but because their profile is strong, they get picked up directly by the 190, walk away with PR in hand, and skip the 189 queue altogether.
And there’s some unwelcome news: the NSW 489 stream for accounting and auditing is now closed. For details see [BREAKING] NSW Orana has closed Subclass 489 state-sponsored applications for all occupations!. Anyone interested should first sort out the skills assessment (four 7s on IELTS or complete a PY), then move quickly to lodge their application as soon as the next opening comes around.
Below is the Australian skilled migration points-test table for your reference:
|
Age |
18-24 years |
25 points |
|
25-32 years |
30 points |
|
|
33-39 years |
25 points |
|
|
40-44 years |
15 points |
|
|
45-49 years |
0 points |
|
|
English |
Competent English – IELTS 6 |
0 points |
|
Proficient English – IELTS 7 ( OET four Bs – Health Professional only) |
10 points |
|
|
Superior English – IELTS 8 ( OET four As – Health Professional only) |
20 points |
|
|
Australian work experience |
1 year of Australian work experience in the past 10 years |
5 points |
|
3 years of Australian work experience in the past 10 years |
10 points |
|
|
5 years of Australian work experience in the past 10 years |
15 points |
|
|
Overseas work experience |
3 years of overseas work experience in the past 10 years |
5 points |
|
5 years of overseas work experience in the past 10 years |
10 points |
|
|
8 years of overseas work experience in the past 10 years |
15 points |
|
|
Qualifications |
Recognised overseas trade qualification / Australian AQF III/IV / Australian Diploma |
10 points |
|
Bachelor’s degree (including Honours master’s) |
15 points |
|
|
Doctorate |
20 points |
|
|
Australian qualifications |
At least two years of full-time study |
5 points |
|
Other |
Community language (NAATI accredited) |
5 points |
|
Partner skills points |
5 points |
|
|
Professional Year |
5 points |
|
|
State-government nomination |
5 points |
|
|
Family or state-government sponsorship under Subclass 489 (designated area) |
10 points |
|
|
Regional study in Australia |
5 points |
Have you unlocked all seven of these power-ups for your migration plan? Find the ones that fit your situation and get moving — book that IELTS sitting, enrol in PY/NAATI if that’s what you need, and if you’re ready to come to Newstarsec Education & Migration to apply for a 489, 189 or 190 visa, scroll to the bottom of the screen and give one of our consultants a call ╮(╯▽╰)╭
