Points Test And It Working:

On this page:

• What is the pass mark?
• What happens if you don’t meet the pass mark?
• What is the current pass and pool marks?
• How often do the pass and pool marks change?

For most General Skilled Migration visas, your application will be assessed against a points test. You can claim points under a range of different factors. The maximum points that can be claimed in any one factor reflect how valuable those characteristics are in the Australian labor market or in assisting settlement.

The Pass Mark:

The pass mark is the total points you need to score to be eligible for a points–tested General Skilled Migration visa.

What happens if you don’t meet the pass mark?

If you have applied for a Skilled – Independent (Migrant) visa (subclass 175) or a Skilled – Sponsored (Migrant) visa (subclass 176) and you score below the pass mark, but above the ‘pool mark’, your application will be held ‘in the pool’ for up to two (2) years after assessment.

If the pass mark is lowered at any time in that two (2) year period, and your score is equal to or higher than the new pass mark, your application will be processed further.

Rather than waiting in the pool, you could consider the following visa options if you do not meet the pass mark:

• If you score 100 points you may be eligible for a Skilled – Sponsored (Migrant) visa (subclass 176) or a Skilled – Regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (subclass 475) visa.
• If you meet the pool mark for the Skilled – Independent (Migrant) visa (Subclass 175), you can still lodge and register for the Skill Matching Database.

Current Pass Marks And Pool Marks?

The table below lists the entire current pass and pool marks for the points–tested visas in the General Skilled Migration category.

How often do the pass and pool marks change?

Changes to the pass and pool marks occur to address Australian labor market needs. You should check the current pass mark immediately before making an application. You will be assessed against the pass and pool mark that is in effect on the day you makes your application.

©2008 Study And Work In Australia. All Rights Reserved.

(If you are inside Australia)

About Skilled Independent Visa:

This visa allows overseas students who have completed their course studies in Australia and holders of certain temporary visas to apply for permanent residency.

This visa uses a points test to select visa applicants with characteristics needed in the Australian labor market.

You do not require sponsorship to apply for this visa.

How Skilled Independent Visa Works:

This is a permanent residence visa. As a permanent resident you are permitted to remain in Australia indefinitely. This visa also allows you to travel to and enter Australia for five (5) years from the date the visa is granted. The expiry of this visa does not affect your permanent resident status if you are in Australia. However, if you wish to continue to travel to and from Australia as a permanent resident after the initial visa has expired, you must obtain a Resident Return Visa (RRV). Your eligibility for an RRV will depend on the period that you have resided in Australia.

Who is this visa for?

This visa is for you if you are in Australia and you are one of the following:

• An overseas student or former overseas student
• A holder of a Skilled – Graduate (subclass 485) visa or Skilled – Recognized Graduate (subclass 476) visa
• A holder of a Trade Skills Training (subclass 471) visa.

You must:

• be under 45 years of age
• have good English language skills
• have the skills and qualifications that meet the Australian standard for an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and your nominated occupation is classified as either:
  • 60 point occupation Or
  • 50 point occupation

The SOL is a list of skilled occupations that are in need in Australia. Each occupation listed on the SOL is allocated a points value for use in the visa assessment process.

How much does this visa cost?

You must pay the relevant visa application charge when you lodge your visa application. Cost Of Independent - Skilled (Residence Visa)

What does this visa let me do?

This visa allows you and any secondary applicants included in your visa application to live as permanent residents in Australia.

Australian permanent residents can:

• Live and work in Australia on a permanent basis
• Study in Australia at school or university
• Receive subsidized health care through Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
• Access certain social security payments (subject to waiting periods)
• Be eligible for Australian citizenship (subject to the residency eligibility criteria)
• Sponsor people for permanent residence.

Skilled Independent Visa Eligibility:

Main Applicant Visa Eligibility

Secondary Applicant Visa Eligibility

©2008 Study And Work In Australia. All Rights Reserved.

Secondary applicant eligibility:

You may include the following secondary applicants in your visa application:

• your spouse
• your interdependent partner
• a dependent child of you, your spouse or your interdependent partner
• a dependent relative of you or your spouse.

Secondary applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

• Eligible visa
• Location
• English language ability
• Health
• Character
• Australian Values Statement

©2008 Study And Work In Australia. All Rights Reserved.

Eligibility For Skilled Resident Visa (If you are inside Australia):

This information is for the following applicants:

• Skilled – Recognized Graduate (subclass 476) visa holders
• Skilled – Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders.

Use the table below to assess your eligibility. You must meet all of the basic eligibility requirements and pass the points test.

Basic eligibility requirements:

Select the links in the table to read each of the basic eligibility requirements. Use the second column as a checklist to tick each basic eligibility requirement you can meet.

Points test:

The points test pass mark for this visa is 120 points. If you score less than 120 points, your application will be refused. Click on the link below to find the max points allocated to each major factor and how can you achieve them. Also read the evidence document that you need to provide while applying for Independent Skilled (Residence)Visa.

• Age points
• IELTS Points
• Nominated Skill Occupation Points
• Specific Work Experience Points
• Australian Work Experience
• Australian Qualification Points
• Occupation In Demand-Job Offer Points
• Australian Community Language Points
• Regional Australia Study Points
• Partner Skills Points

No Points Awarded For:

• Qualifications closely related to nominated occupation
• Skills assessment
• Eligible visa
• Location
• Health
• Character
• Australian Values Statement

Thanks

©2008 Study And Work In Australia. All Rights Reserved.

Points Of Partner skills For Resident Visa:

You can claim ‘partner skills’ points if your spouse or interdependent partner is also able to satisfy the basic requirements of age, English language ability, qualifications, nominated occupation and recent work experience, and if they have obtained suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority.

Important: You cannot claim ‘partner skills’ points if your spouse or interdependent partner is an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen or if they are not included in your visa application.

Points awarded:

The table below sets out the points available under this part of the points test.

Partner skills	Points
If your spouse or interdependent partner is able to satisfy the basic requirements of: age English language ability qualifications nominated occupation recent work experience has obtained a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority	5

Evidence to attach to your application:

You must obtain documentary evidence that your spouse or interdependent partner has met all the basic requirements for the particular General Skilled Migration visa that you are applying for. This evidence should include:

• A satisfactory skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated occupation from the Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
• Evidence of age to confirm that they are under 45 years of age
• Evidence of English language level
• Evidence that they meet the recent work experience or two (2) year study requirement.
  

For you to be awarded these points, documentary evidence as described above must be included with your application.

©2008 Study And Work In Australia. All Rights Reserved.

Regional Australia study Points:

You can be awarded points if you have met the two (2) year study requirement while living and studying in a ‘regional Australia/ low population growth metropolitan area’ in Australia.

What is ‘Regional Australia‘ or a ‘low population growth metropolitan area’?

‘Regional Australia’ or a ‘low population growth metropolitan area’ means anywhere in Australia except Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, the New South Wales Central Coast, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth, Melbourne or the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

A list of residential areas that are defined under law as being in ‘Regional Australia’ or a ‘low population growth metropolitan area’ is available. The list describes eligible areas by postcode.

Points awarded:

The table below sets out the points available.

Evidence to attach to your application:

You must provide documentary evidence that you have lived and studied in ‘Regional Australia/ low population growth metropolitan areas’. This evidence may include, but is not limited to:

• Documentary evidence of residency which covers the relevant period. This will usually include documents such as rental agreements and gas, power and telephone bills.
• Evidence of studying at a campus in regional Australia or a low population growth metropolitan area, if your academic transcript does not identify the campus.

To be awarded these points, documentary evidence as described above must be included with your application.

Thanks

©2008 Study And Work In Australia. All Rights Reserved.

Australian Community Language Test Points:

To be eligible for Australian community language points you must be fluent in one of the community languages listed below.

‘Fluent’ means you have professional level language skills (written or oral) as evidenced by a qualification (of equivalent standard to an Australian degree) gained from a university where instruction was in one of the listed languages or be accredited with the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) at the professional level (translator/interpreter level).

NAATI can provide tests in a wide range of languages both within Australia and at many overseas locations. Further information is available on the NAATI web site.
See: NAATI Website

^* Testing by National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) is not available.

Points awarded:

The table below sets out the points available under this part of the points test.

Evidence to attach to your application:

If you are seeking bonus points for fluency in one of Australia’s community languages, you must attach certified copies of your degree, academic transcript and a letter from your university stating the language in which your course was conducted, or evidence of your NAATI accreditation.

©2008 Study And Work In Australia. All Rights Reserved.

Points Of Occupation in demand/job offer:

If your nominated occupation is on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) either at the time your application is lodged or assessed and you have recent work experience related to that occupation, you can be awarded additional points.

The MODL has occupations from within the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) identified as being in demand in Australia. You will be eligible for a higher number of points if you also have a full time job offer from an employer in Australia.

You should be aware that occupations on the MODL change from time to time.

Points awarded:

The table below sets out the points available under this part of the points test.

Evidence to attach to your application:

To receive extra points for a job offer, you must provide documentary evidence of your job offer. This evidence must:

• be written on the official letterhead of the prospective employer
• indicate clearly on the letterhead the full address of the employer, any telephone and fax numbers, and email and website addresses
• Have the name and position of the person authorized to sign the offer of employment typed or stamped below that person’s signature. A letter with an illegible signature will not be accepted.
• the exact period of employment, including:
  • whether permanent or temporary
  • full or part time
  • the main five (5) duties
  • the salary
  • position/s offered

Note: Positions should not be described by generic titles (for example, research officer) but according to the nature of the duties undertaken (for example, research chemist)

• The organization making the job offer must also indicate the number of people it has employed on a full time basis for the previous two (2) years.

For you to be awarded these points, documentary evidence as described above must be included with your application. The department will check the details of any job offer provided before points are awarded.

©2008 Study And Work In Australia. All Rights Reserved.

Points Of Australian Qualifications:

You can be awarded points for an Australian qualification if:

• you have completed one of the Australian qualifications listed below while present in Australia
• All instruction was in English.

Points Awarded:

You may receive points for satisfying one of the Australian qualifications criteria shown in the table below. You can only be allocated points against one of these categories.

Evidence to attach to your application:

You must obtain documentary evidence of having completed one of the qualifications described above. This evidence includes:

• a certified copy of notification of your results or a transcript of your academic record
  and
• one of the following:
  • certified copy of your degree, diploma or trade certificate (if available)
  • a letter of completion from your educational institution which details:
  • the name of your course
  • the course duration
  • the qualification you have obtained
  • the pattern of study – full time versus part time
  • the medium of instruction was in English

For you to be awarded these points, documentary evidence as described above must be included with your application.

©2008 Study And Work In Australia. All Rights Reserved.

Points Of Australian work experience:

You are eligible to be awarded Australian work experience points if you have been employed in Australia:

• in an occupation listed on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
• while holding a visa that allows you to work
• for at least 20 hours a week
• in a paid position
• at a skilled level in your nominated occupation or in a closely related occupation on the SOL
• for a period(s) totaling at least one (1) year in the four (4) years immediately before the day you lodge your application

You can also be awarded these points if you have completed a recognized Professional Year in Australia.

Points awarded:

The table below sets out the points available under this part of the points test.

Evidence to attach to your application:

If you are seeking points for Australian work experience, you must attach certified copies of your work references totaling the required one (1) year period.

Your work experience references must:

• Be written on the official letterhead of the company or government department providing the reference. The letterhead should indicate clearly the full address of the company and any telephone, fax numbers, email and website addresses
• include the name and position of the person authorized to sign the employment reference which should be typed or stamped below that person’s signature – a reference with an illegible signature will not be accepted
• include the direct contact number of the person writing the reference
• indicate the exact period of employment, including:
  • whether permanent or temporary
  • full or part time
  • the main five duties undertaken
  • the salary earned

• A pay slip from your current employment should also be included – this is especially important for applicants working in government departments.
• position/s held
  Note: Positions should not be described by generic titles (for example, research officer) but according to the nature of the duties undertaken (for example, research chemist)

Other documents to confirm your work experience claims may include, but are not limited to:

• contracts
• tax returns
• group certificates
• Superannuation information.

If you have completed a recognized Professional Year you must obtain documentary evidence of this which includes:

• a certified copy of notification of your results or a transcript of your academic record
  and
• one of the following:
  • a certified copy of your degree, diploma or trade certificate (if available)
  • a letter of completion from your educational institution which details:
  • the name of your course
  • the duration of your course
  • the qualification you have obtained
  • the pattern of study, including periods of full time and part time study
  • The medium of instruction was in English.

For you to be awarded these points, documentary evidence as described above must be included with your application.

©2008 Study And Work In Australia. All Rights Reserved.