About the Author
/ Jason ZHANG
Introduction
After years in the industry and countless consultations, most people who come to me have done at least some research beforehand, so their questions tend to be fairly targeted. Every now and then, though, I meet an international student who never planned to migrate but suddenly wants to, or an overseas worker who is vaguely interested but has absolutely no idea where to start. They often ask some very basic questions — and every time I try to explain, I end up talking myself hoarse while they stare back blankly. It can be a little frustrating,
which is why I felt it was time to set out the core issues in skilled migration once and for all.
The most critical issue in skilled migration:
Skills Assessment
When it comes to skilled migration (Skilled Migration), the single most important issue is the skills assessment (Skills Assessment), also called a technical assessment. Without a skills assessment, even an IELTS score of 9 in every band is useless.
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What occupation can my background qualify for in a skills assessment?
The occupation for which you can obtain a skills assessment depends primarily on your qualifications and work experience. If you cannot determine which occupation fits your background, you may need to speak with a migration agent for an initial assessment.
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In some cases, a skills assessment may simply not be possible — for example, doctors and lawyers who trained in China cannot obtain an assessment without an Australian licence.
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Some occupations have very demanding language requirements — for example, teachers require IELTS Listening and Speaking 8, Reading and Writing 7. For applicants in China, this is effectively unachievable.
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Some types of work simply cannot be mapped to a migration occupation — for example, bank tellers, office clerks, or car salespeople cannot obtain a suitable skills assessment for migration purposes.
In the above situations, the usual path is “study first, migrate later” — coming to Australia to study a so-called “migration-friendly” programme first. This is because the skills assessment landscape is very different for onshore students compared with offshore workers.
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Why do most international students end up studying accounting, IT, or engineering?
Because these three fields tend to produce skills assessments most readily. However, migration is an intensely competitive space, and the crowding of international students into accounting, IT, and engineering has pushed invitation scores steadily upward. During the first two years of the pandemic, even 100 points was often not enough to secure an invitation. Even in the most recent round where the Department issued 35,000 invitations, accounting, IT, and engineering still required around 85 points (the 65-point invitation for Auditor was an anomaly, which I’ll cover in the next section).
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How should international students choose their programme?
Many international students ask: which programme is best for migration? Some are quite ambitious about it — they want something easy, fast, migration-friendly, employment-friendly, not in a regional area, and cheap to boot. Honestly, I’d love to know the answer to that one too.
The truth is, there is no perfect programme — only the programme that is right for you personally. The right choice depends on your individual circumstances, and ultimately you have to make that call yourself — it is your life, and taking ownership of it is the responsible approach.
For example: nursing and teaching are relatively accessible for migration and offer good employment prospects, but you may have no interest in either — especially male applicants. IT attracts many male students but may hold little appeal for women. An engineering master’s programme usually requires an undergraduate engineering degree. Social work and community work offer solid job prospects, but the work often involves dealing with vulnerable populations (such as people with mental illness), which many people find difficult to accept.
So the choice must be tailored to the individual. That said, choices are never unlimited — whatever you study must make it as straightforward as possible to obtain a skills assessment, otherwise the effort is wasted. For example, a Bachelor of Arts/Science or Master of Finance will typically fail to produce a migration-eligible skills assessment.
Some programmes can potentially lead to a skills assessment, but typically require one year of work experience first. For example, all occupations assessed by VETASSESS, such as Actuary. Requiring one year of work experience before obtaining a skills assessment makes the process significantly harder (since international students finding local work is relatively difficult), so this must be considered very carefully.
Below are the skills assessment requirements for the most common onshore programmes. When choosing your programme, you must factor in the skills assessment requirements as well.
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Skills assessment requirements for common onshore programmes
a)IT – After completing an IT programme, onshore students must have one year of relevant work experience or complete a Professional Year (PY) to obtain a skills assessment.
b)Engineering – As long as the programme is on the Engineers Australia (EA) accredited list, graduates can apply for a skills assessment using academic documents immediately upon graduation.
c)Nursing – As long as the programme allows registration as an Australian nurse, and the graduate achieves PTE 65 in each component after graduation, a skills assessment can be obtained.
d)Teaching – After completing a teaching programme (must include at least 45 days of supervised teaching placement), the applicant must achieve IELTS Listening and Speaking 8, Reading and Writing 7 (PTE cannot be substituted — this is significantly harder than PTE 4×79). If the IELTS requirement cannot be met, at least 4 years of bachelor-level or higher study is required (a degree must have been awarded), and only programmes completed in the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or Ireland qualify for the IELTS exemption.
e)Quantity Surveyor – Complete an accredited programme and apply immediately upon graduation. (The official website’s newer policy indicates that one year of work experience is required, but in practice, graduates of accredited onshore programmes have not yet been asked to provide work experience.)
f)Architect – Must complete an AACA-accredited programme, after which a skills assessment application can be lodged.
g)Social Worker – After completing a social work programme, applicants must achieve IELTS 7 in each band (two IELTS tests taken within a six-month period may be combined to achieve the four-7s, with an overall minimum of 7 and no band below 6.5) to obtain a skills assessment.
h)ACWA Community Worker – Complete an accredited programme, achieve PTE 65 in each component, and have three months of relevant work experience to meet the requirements.
i)Interpreter – Complete a Level 2 interpreting programme and pass the NAATI Level 2 exam to obtain a skills assessment for interpreting (listed on the Subclass 491/190 occupation lists only).
j)TAFE trade occupations – Chef, auto mechanic, welder, carpenter, etc., must complete the Job Ready Program after graduation to obtain a skills assessment. Please refer to this article: The Job Ready Program Skills Assessment Process Every TAFE Trade Migrant Must Know
k)VETASSESS-assessed occupations – There are many of these. A small number appear on the Subclass 189 list, such as Actuary, Statistician, and Economist — all fairly niche. Most popular occupations only appear on the Subclass 491/190 lists, such as Marketing Specialist, Restaurant Manager, and Massage Therapist. Generally, a relevant qualification plus one year of relevant work experience is required, or an unrelated qualification plus three years of experience.
l)Other niche occupations, such as Speech Pathologist, require completion of a relevant qualification.
The above covers the most common migration-related programmes for onshore international students. For offshore workers, the situation is very different, as offshore applicants typically have non-accredited qualifications, making skills assessments significantly more challenging. Below is a brief overview of the most common occupations pursued by offshore workers.
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Common occupations for offshore workers
Offshore workers often have limited occupation choices. In many cases, the only viable option is a general occupation on the VETASSESS list (usually on the Subclass 491/190 lists). Furthermore, since offshore applicants compete against a global pool, they are frequently at a disadvantage — only a small number of state governments are relatively welcoming to offshore applicants for certain occupations.
The main occupations commonly available to offshore workers include the following:
m)IT – Requires an IT qualification plus at least 2 years of relevant work experience. If the IT qualification is not closely related to the nominated occupation, 4–5 years of work experience may be required to obtain a skills assessment.
n)Engineering – If you hold an engineering bachelor’s degree and have worked in a related field, you can generally obtain a skills assessment by writing a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR). For example, if you have an Electronics Engineering degree and have been designing circuits, you can write three CDR episodes to obtain a skills assessment as an Electronics Engineer. If your work experience is not closely related to your engineering degree, there is still a good chance of obtaining an Engineering Technologist assessment. Additionally, non-Australian qualifications require IELTS 6 in each band for engineering skills assessments.
o)VETASSESS-assessed occupations – These are very common for offshore applicants. Examples include University Lecturer, English Teacher (TESOL), Marketing Specialist, and Human Resource Adviser. Generally requires a relevant qualification plus one year of relevant work experience. Some occupations allow an unrelated qualification plus three years of experience.
The second core issue in skilled migration:
Building your EOI points score
Once the skills assessment is resolved, the next challenge is building your EOI points score. Simply meeting the Department’s minimum requirements is not sufficient to guarantee an invitation. You must first receive an EOI invitation before you are eligible to lodge a visa application.
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The Department’s minimum requirements
The Department’s minimum requirements are: English at 6 in each component, a skills assessment, and a total score of 65 points. These are actually quite low and not difficult to meet. For certain in-demand or niche occupations — such as nursing, teaching, or university lecturer — receiving an invitation with 65 points is possible. For popular occupations like accounting, IT, and engineering, however, even the round that saw 35,000 invitations issued required scores of 85 or above.
Furthermore, even if nursing and teaching currently attract invitations at 65 points, there is no guarantee the same will apply in the next round. The field is highly competitive, and if you are building your score, so is everyone else.
When we talk about building your points score, we are primarily referring to the Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa. In practice, some state nomination programmes for Subclass 491/190 also tend to favour higher-scoring applicants. States such as WA, VIC, NSW, and QLD generally select higher scorers first within the same occupation.
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Common points-boosting items
For onshore students, the main boosters are language, PY (accounting, IT, and engineering only), NAATI, and work experience. (Other points such as qualifications and the two-year study bonus accrue naturally.)
For offshore workers, the main options are language and work experience points, with NAATI also well worth considering now that it is offered as an online exam (CCL Test).
Language is the most accessible booster. PTE is now widely used: 65 in each component adds 10 points, while 79 in each adds 20 — a straightforward way to create a significant gap over other applicants. NAATI bookings are typically a few months out, so plan ahead if you want those points. Work experience simply requires time. Language points are therefore the fastest and most direct way to boost your score.
One additional topic worth covering is partner points, summarised in the table below:
| Partner situation | Points |
| No partner (single), or partner holds PR or citizenship | +10 points |
| Partner present, but partner does not meet English 6 in each band | +0 points |
| Partner meets English 6 in each band, but has no skills assessment | +5 points |
| Partner meets English 6 in each band and has a skills assessment | +10 points |
As the table shows, you either need to be single, or your partner needs English 6 in each band and a skills assessment, otherwise your partner points will be reduced — bringing your total EOI score down.
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What score is needed before submitting an EOI?
The Department’s minimum invitation threshold is 65 points, whether for Subclass 189, 491, or 190. Note that the Subclass 189 score is your “base score”, whereas 491 and 190 include the additional state nomination points. Subclass 491 adds 15 points from the state, while Subclass 190 adds 5 points. This means a base score of 50 qualifies as 65 for the purposes of Subclass 491; a base score of 60 qualifies as 65 for Subclass 190. For those whose base score is low, Subclass 491 may be a lifeline.
In theory, once you have 65 points you can submit an EOI. The major release of December 2022 (35,000 Subclass 189 invitations in a single round) meant that most niche occupations could secure an invitation with just 65 points (note: popular occupations such as accounting, IT, and engineering still required 85 or above). Therefore, once you meet the minimum score, you should submit your EOI immediately (especially for niche occupations), because opportunities favour those who are already prepared.
For example, in the last round, Auditor was invited at just 65 points — completely unexpected (whether the next round will again be 65 is uncertain, but a speculative position is always worth taking). This led many agents to advise accounting students to quickly add an Auditor skills assessment, or advise those without an auditing background to top up their auditing units. Some agents even pushed non-accounting students to enrol in accounting programmes in hopes of lodging an Auditor skills assessment two years later to receive an invitation at 65 — which is taking it a bit far.
Once you have submitted your EOI at the minimum score (65 points), if you subsequently achieve a higher language score, obtain a PY or NAATI credential, or accumulate additional work experience, you can update your EOI at any time to add those points (note: an EOI is only valid for 2 years — if it is approaching expiry without an invitation, it is advisable to lodge a new EOI). The higher your score, the greater your chances.
The third core issue in skilled migration:
How to obtain state nomination
Once the skills assessment is resolved and you have been building your points score, the third core issue emerges: how to obtain state nomination. Even with a skills assessment and a sufficient score, you may still be unable to resolve your migration — especially for popular occupations with high competition, or occupations not on the Subclass 189 list. In those cases, state nomination is required to secure an invitation.
State nomination falls into two categories: Subclass 190 and Subclass 491. The former leads to PR (permanent residency), while the latter is a 5-year regional work visa. Australia’s so-called “regional areas” cover a very broad range — everything outside the urban centres of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane is classified as regional (including the national capital). After 3 of the 5 years meet a minimum income threshold (currently $53,900), the holder can apply for PR. Subclass 491 is essentially a stepping stone to PR, as the income requirement for converting 491 to PR is quite modest and very achievable — it is simply a matter of time.
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What exactly are the requirements for state nomination?
This question is genuinely complex, because each state has its own occupation list and its own rules, the Subclass 190 and 491 requirements often differ, and within states, requirements can vary between regional areas (as in NSW). In addition, state nomination policies change frequently, particularly at the start of each new financial year.
There is a great deal to cover, so I will only outline the key points. For the full requirements, please click the links to each state government’s official website at the end of this section. If you are serious about migrating, your language ability should be adequate to read those pages yourself — doing so protects you from unscrupulous agents.
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NSW — New South Wales (capital city: Sydney)
Subclass 190 basic requirements: NSW uses an invitation model. The basic process is: you submit your EOI and tick NSW in it. NSW state officials periodically review the EOI pool and select candidates. If NSW considers you a suitable talent, they will send you a pre-invitation email inviting you to apply for NSW state nomination. Without receiving that pre-invitation email, you have no right to lodge a formal state nomination application.
In theory, NSW can select any occupation it wishes, and it does not publish its selection criteria — it does not even announce when the next pre-invitation round will occur. It is entirely random. As an applicant, all you can do is meet NSW’s basic requirements, submit your EOI, and then patiently wait to be selected. If you are not selected, you keep waiting.
Subclass 491 basic requirements: Currently divided into two Pathways:
1) Pathway 1 — Apply directly to an RDA office, meaning applicants who meet the requirements can apply directly to a regional development authority.
2) Pathway 2 — Be invited by Investment NSW, meaning applicants submit their EOI, meet the basic requirements, and then passively wait to be selected, similar to the Subclass 190 invitation system described above.
Pathway 1 is further divided into two Streams:
A. Stream A: The occupation must be on the NSW Subclass 491 master list, the applicant must currently be working in and have been working in the nominated occupation in a NSW regional area for at least 12 months, and the annual income must be at least $53,900.
B. Stream B: The occupation must be on the NSW Subclass 491 Stream B list (which includes many common offshore occupations such as HR), and the applicant must meet the minimum score and work experience requirements on that list, and currently reside in NSW or have been overseas for at least 3 months.
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Prediction: NSW Subclass 491 is set for a major release
NSW Subclass 491 was allocated approximately 5,000 places for this financial year. Half the year has now passed, but both Pathway 1 and Pathway 2 have been issuing invitations very sporadically. There is therefore a very high probability of a major release in the second half of the year.
If your occupation or score does not qualify for Subclass 189 or 190, but your occupation is on the NSW Subclass 491 Stream B list, get your skills assessment ready and your language score sorted, prepare all supporting documents, lodge a Pathway 1 Stream B application, and wait — there could be good news.
Similarly, if your occupation is on the Pathway 2 list, you should prepare your documents as soon as possible, submit your EOI, and wait for NSW Subclass 491 to open the floodgates.
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VIC — Victoria (capital city: Melbourne)
Both Subclass 190 and 491 use an invitation model. VIC has its own ROI (Registration of Interest) system, requiring applicants to submit an expression of interest and then wait for the VIC Government to select from that pool.
VIC’s occupation list uses the Department’s master list (meaning any occupation on the migration list — over 400 in total — can be nominated), and only the Department’s minimum requirements need to be met. In theory, as long as you have IELTS/PTE 6 in each band, a skills assessment, and a total of 65 points, you can submit an ROI and passively await an invitation.
Because these requirements are so low, VIC only selects high scorers from the pool, or occupations it specifically wants (such as nursing and teaching).
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QLD — Queensland (capital city: Brisbane)
Queensland also uses an invitation model similar to NSW, with 4 streams. The first 3 streams require a minimum of 80 points for Subclass 190 and 65 points for Subclass 491:
1. Skilled workers living in Queensland – Subclass 190 requires the applicant to be currently working in QLD and to have done so for the past 6 months; Subclass 491 requires 3 months.
2. Skilled workers living offshore – Requires the occupation to be on QLD’s Offshore list, English at 7 in each band, at least 3 years of work experience, and current employment.
3. Graduates of a Queensland university — requirements vary by qualification level. Local PhD graduates with a skills assessment can apply; Master’s graduates must be in a STEM field with relevant work in the nominated occupation to qualify for Subclass 190, otherwise at most Subclass 491; Bachelor graduates are eligible for Subclass 491 only.
4. Small business owners operating in regional Queensland — this stream is for those running small businesses in regional Queensland and provides Subclass 491 only, so I will not elaborate further.
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WA — Western Australia (capital city: Perth)
WA also uses an invitation model similar to NSW, with applicants competing on score. There are three main Streams: General Stream 1, General Stream 2, and a Graduate Stream. Each stream has its own occupation list.
Stream 1 requires at least 1 year of relevant work experience. Subclass 190 requires a local job offer, while Subclass 491 does not. Stream 1 is mainly accessible for health-related occupations.
Stream 2 does not require relevant work experience. Subclass 190 requires a local job offer, while Subclass 491 does not. Stream 2 covers a wider range of common occupations including accounting, IT, and engineering.
Graduate Stream requires only meeting the Department’s minimum requirements, with applicants competing on score.
Overall, WA’s requirements are relatively accessible — especially for Subclass 491, which has no job offer requirement, making it open to applicants from other states or overseas.
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ACT — Australian Capital Territory
The ACT uses its own Matrix scoring system, with the core requirement being that the occupation must appear on the ACT Critical Skills List. Local students or interstate graduates who have relocated to Canberra for an extended period and have relevant work in a listed occupation can accumulate sufficient Matrix points relatively easily, giving them a good chance at Subclass 190.
Offshore applicants find it considerably harder to obtain Subclass 190, as a job offer in Canberra in the nominated occupation is required, and most Canberra positions are government roles that are difficult to obtain without existing residency status. That said, for offshore applicants whose occupation is on the list, the Subclass 491 Matrix is still worth completing (it is free to submit), as long as the applicant has 3 years of relevant work experience — overseas experience counts — and the state government is currently issuing Subclass 491 Matrix invitations mainly to offshore applicants.
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TAS — Tasmania (capital city: Hobart)
Tasmania also introduced its own ROI system this financial year, categorising applicants into Gold, Green, and Orange tiers. Gold and Green applicants receive invitations readily, while the Orange tier has yet to receive any invitations even half a financial year in.
The core of the TAS Subclass 190 programme is essentially that the occupation must be on the Critical or TOSOL list, and at least 3–6 months of work experience is required. Tasmania is also relatively unwelcoming to offshore applicants, requiring a job offer and generally only offering Subclass 491.
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SA — South Australia (capital city: Adelaide)
South Australia is relatively welcoming to local graduates and local residents (including those who have relocated from other states). If requirements are met, applicants can lodge directly without the invitation model used by other states. For offshore applicants, SA uses the same invitation model as NSW, and there is little reported evidence of offshore applicants actually receiving invitations.
SA nomination has several streams, mainly for local graduates and local workers. For local graduates, the requirements are straightforward: 6 months of nominated occupation work experience qualifies for Subclass 190, while 3 months qualifies for Subclass 491. Local workers generally need 24 months of work (e.g. IT) or 12 months (e.g. teaching) for Subclass 190, while nursing only requires 6 months. An EOI score of just 65 is sufficient.
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NT — Northern Territory (capital city: Darwin)
The NT is very welcoming to local graduates, but requires graduation in NT of at least 6 months before applying (not an invitation model — direct application is possible once the Department’s minimum requirements are met). The NT is a relatively insular territory. Although it has an offshore list, approval is rare — it is essentially refused for offshore applicants as a matter of course. For interstate graduates, NT requires 2 years of residence plus 1 year of work before a Subclass 190 state nomination can be applied for.
However, the NT has a unique stream called MINT, which requires an investment of AUD $500,000 into the NT ($100,000 in venture capital, $400,000 in territory bonds) and provides a fast-tracked path to Subclass 190 (standard Department minimums must still be met). This stream is open to offshore applicants, though former Australian international graduates typically find it significantly harder.
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Which state should I apply to for nomination?
Having reviewed the requirements across all states, you may feel a little overwhelmed: which state should I apply to? My answer is simple: based on your own circumstances, apply to whichever state you qualify for. If none currently applies, create the conditions to meet the requirements and then apply.
Subclass 190 leads to PR and therefore has relatively higher requirements. If it is out of reach and difficult to qualify for, Subclass 491 is a perfectly valid alternative. It is like going after the person you want — if the top choice is out of reach, aim for the next best, and if that doesn’t work out either, the right person will still come eventually.
On the migration journey, most people do not have the luxury of too many good options to choose from. In reality, you typically need to put in real effort — even make sacrifices — to get within reach. Just as in relationships, opportunities rarely come flooding in all at once — they usually require sustained, proactive effort before you find the right path forward.
If you have no idea which direction to work towards, I recommend seeking professional advice. That said, I strongly encourage you to read the official state government websites linked at the end of this section yourself — doing so protects you from being misled by unscrupulous agents.
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Official links for all state nomination programmes
NSW: https://www.nsw.gov.au/visas-and-migration/skilled-visas/common-questions-about-skilled-visas
VIC: https://liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au/migrate/skilled-migration-visas
QLD: https://migration.qld.gov.au/occupation-lists/queensland-skilled-occupation-lists-(qsol)
WA: https://migration.wa.gov.au/services/skilled-migration-western-australia/about-state-nomination
ACT: https://www.act.gov.au/migration/skilled-migrants/act-government-process/act-nomination-process
TAS: https://www.migration.tas.gov.au/skilled_migrants
SA: https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/nomination-process/about-state-nomination
NT: https://theterritory.com.au/migrate/migrate-to-work/northern-territory-government-visa-nomination/eligibility
Summary—
The core issues for Subclass 189/190/491 skilled migration are the three described above. If you are absolutely committed to migrating to Australia, the very first thing to do is resolve the skills assessment issue, meet the Department’s minimum requirements (English 6 in each band, 65 points), and then position yourself strategically: build your points score while patiently watching migration policy (especially state nomination policy) for shifts, and seize the opportunity the moment it appears.
Skills assessments are typically valid for 2 or 3 years, and language results for 3 years. Migration policy changes frequently, particularly at the start of a new financial year. If you only begin preparing your skills assessment and language results when a favourable policy emerges (such as low-score invitations or your occupation suddenly appearing on a state government list), it will likely be too late — because opportunities always go to those who prepared first.
End of article.
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