# Australia Points Calculator > Free Australia PR points calculator: estimate your skilled migration points test score for the 189, 190 and 491 visas from age, English, work, study and partner factors. Pick a visa subclass and enter your age, English level, skilled work history, qualifications and partner status to estimate your points test score. *Interactive tool: enter your values at https://toollantern.win/australia-points-calculator/ and results update instantly in your browser.* ## How the Australia points test works Australia's skilled migration visas (subclass 189, 190 and 491) use a single points test set by migration law. You need at least 65 points to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect, but invitations in competitive rounds go to much higher scores. The same test applies to all three subclasses; the 190 adds 5 nomination points and the 491 adds 15. ## The points table - **Age:** 25-32 earns the maximum 30 points; 18-24 and 33-39 earn 25; 40-44 earn 15. You must be under 45 at invitation. - **English:** competent (IELTS 6 in each band) 0, proficient (IELTS 7 each) 10, superior (IELTS 8 each) 20. PTE, TOEFL and other tests have their own minimums. - **Skilled employment:** overseas 3-4 years 5, 5-7 years 10, 8-10 years 15; in Australia 1-2 years 5, 3-4 years 10, 5-7 years 15, 8-10 years 20. Combined cap: 20. Work must be in your nominated or a closely related occupation, in the last 10 years. - **Qualifications:** doctorate 20, bachelor or higher 15, diploma/trade or recognised qualification 10. Only the highest counts. - **Other factors (5 or 10 each):** Australian study requirement 5, Professional Year 5, credentialled community language 5, regional study 5, specialist STEM research degree 10. - **Partner:** 10 if you are single or your partner is an Australian citizen/PR; 10 if your partner has a skills assessment, competent English and is under 45; 5 if your partner has competent English only. - **Nomination:** 5 for subclass 190 state nomination, 15 for subclass 491 regional nomination or eligible family sponsorship. ## 189 vs 190 vs 491 - **189 Skilled Independent:** no nomination needed, permanent residence immediately, but the most competitive (recent rounds favour 85+). - **190 Skilled Nominated:** needs state nomination (+5 points), PR immediately, recent rounds favour 75-90. - **491 Skilled Work Regional:** needs regional nomination (+15), provisional visa with a pathway to PR (subclass 191) after 3 years living regionally, recent rounds favour 65-85. ## How to increase your score - **Retake your English test.** Moving from proficient to superior English is worth 10 points, often the cheapest gain available. - **Claim partner points.** A partner with competent English alone adds 5; with a skills assessment it is 10. - **Get a NAATI credential.** A credentialled community language test pass adds 5 points. - **Consider the 491.** The 15 regional points plus lower competition make it the most accessible route for scores in the 65-80 range. ## Worked example A 28-year-old single software engineer with superior English (IELTS 8), 5 years of overseas skilled work and a bachelor's degree scores: age 30, English 20, employment 10, qualification 15, partner 10, total **85**. That is competitive for the 189; adding a 190 nomination takes it to 90. ## Limitations This calculator is an estimate for planning only. Points claims must be evidenced if you are invited, occupation lists and state requirements change, and only the Department of Home Affairs points tables are authoritative. Verify current rules on homeaffairs.gov.au. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many points do I need for Australian PR? You need at least 65 points to lodge an Expression of Interest, but that minimum rarely wins an invitation. Recent rounds have favoured roughly 85+ for the 189, 75-85 for the 190, and 65-85 for the 491, varying by occupation. ### What is the difference between the 189, 190 and 491 visas? The 189 is independent with no nomination and grants PR immediately. The 190 needs state nomination (+5 points) and grants PR immediately. The 491 needs regional nomination (+15 points), is provisional, and leads to PR via the 191 visa after 3 years living in a regional area. ### Does my partner give me extra points? You get 10 points if you are single or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, 10 if your partner has a suitable skills assessment plus competent English and is under 45, or 5 if your partner has competent English only. ### What English score do I need for maximum points? Superior English earns 20 points: IELTS 8 in each band (or equivalent in PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT and other accepted tests) for tests taken from 7 August 2025. Proficient English (IELTS 7 each) earns 10. ### Is there an age limit for Australian skilled migration? You must be under 45 when invited. Points peak at 30 for ages 25-32, then fall to 25 (33-39) and 15 (40-44). ### Do overseas and Australian work experience points stack? They are added together but capped at 20 points combined. For example, 15 points of overseas experience plus 20 of Australian experience gives 20, not 35. --- Interactive version: https://toollantern.win/australia-points-calculator/