Points test requirements

• Nominated Occupation
• Age
• English Language Ability
• Skilled Employment
• Qualifications
• Australian Qualifications
• Regional Study
  
• Completion of a Professional Year
  
• Language Skills
• Spouse Skills
• Sponsored Category
• Pass Mark

Introduction

The Australian General Skilled Migration program is an excellent immigration route for applicants wishing to emigrate to Australia. You must score at least 65 points under the criteria listed below. To check your eligibility for an Australian visa under the General Skilled Migration program, please see our online points calculator. If you would like help with an Australian immigration or work visa, fill out a free assessment form and one of our representatives will call you shortly.

Nominated Occupation

Previous to 1 July 2011, you were awarded points for a specific nominated occupation. This is no longer the case. However, to be eligible to apply under the General Skilled Migration program, you must still nominate a skilled occupation on Australia's Skilled Occupations List (SOL). You must also have your skills assessed by the relevant assessing authority for this occupation.

You are awarded points for the following:

Age

You are awarded points for your age.

Before you apply you should provide evidence of your age, for example, by your birth certificate.

English language ability

Your English language ability must meet a threshold of "Competent" to be eligible to apply for a visa under the General Skilled Migration program. This is a minimum of 6 in each of the four components of the English Language Testing System (IELTS).

If you hold a passport from one of the following countries listed below, you will not be required to sit the IELTS test to demonstrate that you meet the English language threshold of Competent English:

• United Kingdom (UK)
• Canada
• New Zealand
• United States of America (USA)
• Republic of Ireland

However, to claim points for Proficient or Superior English language skills, all applicants including those from the countries listed above will be required to complete an English language test. You must complete this test before your visa application is lodged.

Skilled employment

You are awarded points for employment experience in a skilled occupation, either in Australia or another country. You must have experience in your nominated occupation or an occupation that is closely related to earn points for skilled employment.

You can claim points for Australian skilled employment as well as overseas skilled employment, where applicable. You will be awarded points based on verifiable evidence of skilled employment history undertaken in the last 10 years as follows:

Skilled employment within Australia

Skilled employment outside of Australia

You can combine skilled employment earned within Australia and skilled employment earned overseas, however the maximum number of points you can score for this criteria is still 20 points.

Educational qualifications

You are awarded points for the highest qualification that you have attained. For example, if you have obtained both a Bachelors Degree and a Doctorate Degree, you can only claim points for the Doctorate Degree.

Qualifications earned overseas must be recognised as comparable to the relevant Australian level qualification. This will usually be verified during the skills assessment for your nominated occupation. Note that you may also be able to claim points for a qualification unrelated to your nominated occupation.

Australian qualifications

You can be awarded 5 points if you have completed an Australian qualification from an Australian educational institution. You must have earned the qualification from an Australian institution while you were in Australia. The course of study must have been at least two years in length.

Before applying you should obtain a certified copy of your qualifications, if you claim points for this factor.

Regional Study

Met the two-year study requirement listed above while living and studying in a "regional Australia/low population growth metropolitan area" in Australia.

Completion of a Professional Year

You can also score 5 points if you have completed an approved Professional Year in your nominated occupation or closely related occupation. A Professional Year is a structured professional development program which combines formal training with on-the-job experience.

Language Skills

NAATI-approved translator/interpreter-level language skills in one of Australia's designated community languages.

Spouse skills

You are awarded points for this factor if your spouse also satisfies the basic requirements and has obtained a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority.

Before submitting a migration application you should obtain proof that your spouse satisfies the basic requirements and obtain a skills assessment for your spouse's skills from the relevant assessing authority.

Sponsored Category

If you apply under the Skilled Sponsored category you may receive extra points for being sponsored by an Australian state or territory government.

An eligible family member may sponsor you under a subclass 176 or subclass 886 visa, but no points are awarded.

Pass mark

You must score at least 65 points to be eligible for a visa in the following categories:

• Subclass 175 Skilled Independent
• Subclass 176 Skilled Sponsored
• Subclass 475 Skilled Skilled Regional Sponsored
• Subclass 487 Skilled Regional Sponsored
• Subclass 885 Skilled Independent
• Subclass 886 Skilled Sponsored

To test yourself under the Australian General Skilled Migration points test, please see our online Australia skilled immigration points calculator.

Workpermit.com has over twenty years of experience helping people immigrate to countries all over the World. If you feel that you can pass the points test and wish to immigrate to Australia, fill out our free assessment form and one of our representatives will contact you shortly.