There are Various type of visa available which an Applicant can choose to apply for Permanent Residency.

Age                                                              

Age

Points

at least 18 but less than 25 years

25

at least 25 but less than 33 years

30

at least 33 but less than 40 years

25

at least 40 but less than 45 years

15

English language skills                                                              

English

Points

Competent English

0

Proficient English

10

Superior English

20

Skilled employment experience

Overseas skilled employment – (outside Australia)

Number of years

Points

Less than 3 years

0

At least 3 but less than 5 years

5

At least 5 but less than 8 years

10

At least 8 years

15

Australian skilled employment – (in Australia)

Number of years

Points

Less than 1 year

0

At least 1 but less than 3 years

5

At least 3 but less than 5 years

10

At least 5 but less than 8 years

15

At least 8 years

20

• You can only claim points for employment if the employment was in your nominated skilled occupation or a closely related skilled occupation; and you were employed for the relevant periods set out in the table, in the 10 years before you are invited to apply. 
• For any Australian employment you must have held a substantive visa or a Bridging A or Bridging B visa and complied with the conditions of that visa to be eligible for points.

Employed means engaged in an occupation for remuneration for at least 20 hours a week.

Closely-related occupations must be:

• in the same ANZSCO Unit Group or
• consistent with a career advancement pathway or
• recognized by an assessing authority that it is closely related to your nominated occupation, as part of your skills assessment

Under the points test there is a cap on the number of points that can be awarded for employment experience. The maximum number of points that can be awarded is 20, this means that even if you score more than 20 combined points for your employment experience only 20 points will be awarded.

Educational Qualifications                                                            

Requirement

Points

A Doctorate from an Australian educational institution or a Doctorate from another educational institution, that is of a recognized standard.

20

At least a Bachelor degree from an Australian educational institution or at least a Bachelor qualification, from another educational institution, that is of a recognized standard.

15

A diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution.

10

Attained a qualification or award recognized by the relevant assessing authority for your nominated skilled occupation as being suitable for that occupation

10

For points-based migration you will receive points for your highest qualification only. 

Recognition of your qualifications

The authority undertaking your skills assessment may determine if your qualifications are comparable to the relevant Australian qualification. Assessing authorities are listed against your occupation in the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations. You must have obtained this recognition at the time you are invited to apply for a visa.

If you hold an overseas qualification at bachelor level or above and your skills assessing authority did not offer an opinion on that qualification then it is open to you to contact Vocational Education Training and Assessment Services (VETASSESS) for advice.

VETASSESS can provide an assessment of the comparative educational level of these qualifications against the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Advice from VETASSESS should be provided with your application to support your claim for these points.

Doctoral requirements (PhD)

You can only be awarded points for a doctoral degree if you have completed a qualification at the relevant level, that is, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). You cannot claim these points for the award of other qualifications that give you the right to use to the title of Doctor (that is, general practitioner, dentist, vet).

Specialist education qualification

Requirement

Points

A Master’s degree by research or a Doctorate degree from an Australian educational institution that included at least 2 academic years study in a relevant field.

10

The postgraduate degree by research (doctorate or masters) must be awarded from an Australian education institution after at least 2 academic years of study in the following science, technology, engineering, mathematics or specified information and communication technology (ICT) fields:

Natural and physical sciences

• biological sciences
• chemical sciences
• earth sciences
• mathematical sciences
• natural and physical sciences
• other natural and physical sciences
• physics and astronomy

Information technology

• computer science
• information systems
• information technology
• other information technology

Engineering and related technologies

• aerospace engineering and technology
• civil engineering
• electrical and electronic engineering and technology
• engineering and related technologies
• geomatics engineering
• manufacturing engineering and technology
• maritime engineering and technology
• mechanical and industrial engineering and technology
• other engineering and related technologies
• process and resources engineering.

To determine whether your qualification is eligible, see the CRICOS website.

Australian study requirement                                                              

Requirement

Points

Meet the Australian study requirement

5

You must have at least 1 degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution that meets the Australian study requirements.

Professional Year in Australia

Requirement

Points

Completion of a Professional Year in Australia

5

At the time of invitation to apply, you had completed a Professional Year. To be eligible for the award of these points your Professional Year must have been in Accounting, ICT/Computing or Engineering, and:

• in your nominated occupation or a closely related occupation
• completed over a period of at least 12 months
• completed in Australia in the four years before you are invited to apply for a visa
• provided by one of these organizations

1. the Australia Computer Society
2. CPA Australia
3. Charted Accountants and New Zealand
4. The Institute of Public Accountants (formerly the National Institute of Accountants)
5. Engineers Australia.

Credentialled community language

Requirement

Points

Hold a recognized qualification in a credentialled community language

5

To be credentialled in a community language and eligible for the award of points you must have been accredited at the paraprofessional level or above, certified at the certified provisional level or above, or have a community language credential for interpreting or translating by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

Study in regional Australia

Requirement

Points

You must have at least 1 degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution that satisfies the Australian study requirements obtained while living and studying in an eligible area of regional Australia

5

To be eligible for the award of points your educational qualification:

• must meet the Australian Study Requirements
• have been obtained while you lived in, and studied at a campus in, a designated regional area
• not include study undertaken by distance education

Partner skills

Requirement

Points

Your spouse or de facto partner must also be an applicant for this visa and meet age, English and skill criteria

For you to be eligible for the award of these points your partner must be an applicant for the same visa subclass and must not be an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen.  Additionally, you will need to provide evidence that when you were invited to apply for this visa that they:

• were under 45 years old
• had competent English
• had nominated a skilled occupation that is on the same skilled occupation list as your nominated skilled occupation
• had a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated skilled occupation, and the assessment wasn’t for a Subclass 485 visa.

5

Your spouse or de facto partner must also be an applicant for this visa and has competent English

For you to be eligible for the award of these points your partner must be an applicant for the same visa subclass and must not be an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen.

5

You are single or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident

10