How many points do I need?

Sixty-five is the minimum to lodge an Expression of Interest, and this calculator marks that line at 65 out of a possible 130. Sixty-five is not the same as competitive: invitations go to the highest-ranked candidates in each occupation, and in recent rounds most invited candidates have sat well above the minimum.

Does the subclass change my score?

It changes what counts. The calculator lets you pick 189, 190 or 491 because state nomination (190) and regional nomination (491) each add points that the independent 189 stream does not have. The rest of the grid is shared.

Is this the official points test?

It implements the points-tested stream table published by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, last read on 15 August 2026. Fursa is independent — use the link above to check the figures against the department's own page.

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Points test

Australia skilled migration points calculator

Scores subclass 189, 190 and 491 against the Department of Home Affairs points table, with the combined 20-point cap on work experience applied correctly.

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The grid, the source and the method are above — this is the tool that runs them against your own answers.

A free account is enough. We do not charge to calculate, and your answers are not stored against your account.

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The route this scores for

Subclass 189 — Skilled—Independent

A score is only half the answer. The route page has what Australia actually requires, what it costs, where you would file it from, and how long it takes — every figure quoted from the official page it came from.

See the full route

What this grid asks

The criteria below are the ones the published grid scores, grouped the way the authority groups them. They are restated here from the source linked above, so you can see what the calculator will ask before you start.

About you

Which visa?: Subclass 189 — Skilled Independent · Subclass 190 — State or Territory Nominated · Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional
Your age: 16–80
English language ability: Below competent English · Competent English · Proficient English · Superior English

Work experience

Years of skilled work outside Australia (last 10 years): 0–10
Years of skilled work in Australia (last 10 years): 0–10

Education and study

Highest recognised qualification: No assessed qualification · Qualification recognised by the assessing authority · Australian diploma or trade qualification · Bachelor's, honours or master's degree · Doctorate
Do you meet the two-year Australian study requirement?: Yes or no
Master's by research or PhD in a STEM or specified ICT field?: Yes or no
Did you study at a campus in designated regional Australia?: Yes or no
Completed a Professional Year in Australia in the last four years?: Yes or no

Additional points

NAATI-accredited credentialled community language?: Yes or no
Partner skills: Single, or partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident · Partner has a skills assessment, is under 45 and has competent English · Partner has competent English only · Partner has neither

Notes and caveats

65 points is the minimum to be invited, not a pass mark for the visa. Most occupations are invited well above it, and the real cut-off moves with each round.
Competent English is a mandatory requirement. Without it the application cannot proceed, whatever the total says.
A positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority is mandatory before you can be invited.

Common questions

How many points do I need?: Sixty-five is the minimum to lodge an Expression of Interest, and this calculator marks that line at 65 out of a possible 130. Sixty-five is not the same as competitive: invitations go to the highest-ranked candidates in each occupation, and in recent rounds most invited candidates have sat well above the minimum.
Does the subclass change my score?: It changes what counts. The calculator lets you pick 189, 190 or 491 because state nomination (190) and regional nomination (491) each add points that the independent 189 stream does not have. The rest of the grid is shared.
Is this the official points test?: It implements the points-tested stream table published by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, last read on 15 August 2026. Fursa is independent — use the link above to check the figures against the department's own page.

Fursa is an independent information service, not a law firm or a registered immigration adviser. These tools implement published rules; they are not legal advice and they do not decide anything.