Australia PR Points Calculator for 189, 190 and 491 Visas
Short answer. You need 65 points to lodge an expression of interest, but 65 rarely gets an invitation. A single 26-year-old Indian graduate with an Australian master’s and IELTS 7 scores 70. In the October 2026 round, software engineers, developer programmers, accountants and civil engineers got no subclass 189 invitations at all.
Uses the Home Affairs points tables for subclasses 189, 190 and 491 and the English level definitions, checked in November 2026. Points are assessed when you are invited. A positive skills assessment and an occupation on the right list are required separately, and states set their own criteria for 190 and 491 nomination.
The points table
Subclasses 189, 190 and 491 use the same points test. The only difference is nomination: 190 adds 5 points and 491 adds 15. You need 65 to submit an expression of interest in SkillSelect, and you must be under 45 when you are invited.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Age 18 to 24 / 25 to 32 / 33 to 39 / 40 to 44 | 25 / 30 / 25 / 15 |
| English: Competent / Proficient / Superior | 0 / 10 / 20 |
| Skilled work outside Australia: 3, 5, 8 years | 5 / 10 / 15 |
| Skilled work in Australia: 1, 3, 5, 8 years | 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 |
| All work experience combined | Capped at 20 |
| PhD / bachelor’s or higher / Australian diploma | 20 / 15 / 10 |
| Australian research master’s or PhD in STEM | 10 |
| Australian study requirement | 5 |
| Study in regional Australia | 5 |
| Professional Year, NAATI credential | 5 each |
| Single, or skilled partner | 10 |
| Partner with Competent English only | 5 |
| State nomination (190) / regional nomination or family sponsorship (491) | 5 / 15 |
Qualification points go to your highest qualification only. That catches many Indian students out: your Indian bachelor’s already earns the 15, so a coursework master’s from an Australian university adds nothing to that line. What it adds is the 5 points for the Australian study requirement, plus 5 more if you studied in a regional area.
What an Indian master’s graduate actually scores
Take a single 26-year-old with an Indian BTech, a two-year master’s from an Australian city university, IELTS 7 in every band and no work experience yet. Then add the things graduates usually chase on a 485 visa.
| Profile | Points |
|---|---|
| Age 30, Proficient English 10, bachelor’s 15, Australian study 5, single 10 | 70 |
| Plus Superior English (IELTS 8 in every band) | 80 |
| Plus a Professional Year | 85 |
| Plus a NAATI credential | 90 |
| Plus one year of skilled work in Australia | 95 |
| Turning 33 before the invitation | Minus 5 |
Seventy is a long way from where the competitive occupations sit. Every step above it costs time, money or both, and age works against you the whole way. If you turn 33 while you are building points, you lose 5.
The October 2026 round: who got invited
On 15 October 2026, Home Affairs invited 20,000 people for the Skilled Independent visa. The minimum score depended on the occupation.
| Occupation | Minimum points invited |
|---|---|
| ICT Security Specialist | 100 |
| Electronics Engineer | 95 |
| Chemical Engineer, Telecommunications Engineer, Statistician, Actuary | 85 |
| Engineering Manager, Management Consultant, Medical Laboratory Scientist, Secondary School Teacher | 80 |
| Registered Nurse (most specialisms) | 70 |
| Many trades, such as carpenters, bricklayers and electrical engineering technicians | 65 |
| Software Engineer, Developer Programmer, Analyst Programmer, ICT Business Analyst, Accountant (General), Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineer | Not in the round |
The last row covers the occupations most Indian students study towards, and none of them appeared in the round’s results at any score. For those occupations, the independent visa is effectively shut for now, and state nomination is the route. Each state publishes its own occupation list and criteria for the 190 and 491, often with a job, residence or study requirement in that state.
Faz's rulePick the occupation before the course, not after.
The points test rewards things you can plan for: your age at invitation, your English and where you study. But the round results decide whether any score is enough. Check the last two SkillSelect rounds for the occupation your degree leads to before you pay a deposit. If it was not invited, assume you are on the state nomination route and look at what that state asks for.
The PTE trap: 79 is no longer Superior
For years, Superior English meant 79 in every PTE section. PTE Academic changed on 7 August 2025, and Home Affairs set new bands for tests taken from that date. They are not equal across the four sections.
| Level | IELTS, every band | PTE Academic from 7 Aug 2025 (L, R, W, S) |
|---|---|---|
| Competent (0 points) | 6 | 47, 48, 51, 54 |
| Proficient (10 points) | 7 | 58, 59, 69, 76 |
| Superior (20 points) | 8 | 69, 70, 85, 88 |
Superior now needs 85 in writing and 88 in speaking. A new-format result of 79 in every section is only Proficient, worth 10 points, not 20. Results from the older PTE, taken before 7 August 2025, still use the old bands of 50, 65 and 79 in each section.
If you are on or heading for a 485, our 485 visa calculator shows how long you get to build these points. The study in Australia guide covers costs and courses, and whether studying in Australia is worth it runs the payback maths.
Questions people ask
How many points do I need for Australia PR?
65 to submit an expression of interest for subclass 189, 190 or 491. The score that actually gets an invitation depends on your occupation and the round, and in October 2026 it ranged from 65 for many trades to 100 for ICT security specialists.
Does an Australian master’s give more points than an Indian degree?
Not for the qualification itself. A bachelor’s or higher earns 15 either way, and only your highest qualification counts. An Australian degree adds 5 for the Australian study requirement and 5 more if you studied regionally. Only a research master’s or PhD in a STEM field adds the 10 specialist education points.
Can a software engineer get subclass 189 in 2026?
Not in the October 2026 round: Software Engineer, Developer Programmer and Analyst Programmer did not appear in its results. State nomination through the 190 or 491 is the realistic route, so check each state’s current list.
What PTE score is Superior English for Australia?
For PTE Academic taken from 7 August 2025: at least 69 in listening, 70 in reading, 85 in writing and 88 in speaking. For tests taken before that date, 79 in each section.
Do I lose points if I turn 33 before I am invited?
Yes. Points are assessed when you are invited, not when you submit your expression of interest. Age points fall from 30 to 25 at 33 and to 15 at 40, and you cannot be invited at all once you turn 45.
Where these rules come from
- Home Affairs, points table for subclass 189
- Home Affairs, points table for subclass 190
- Home Affairs, points table for subclass 491
- Home Affairs, subclass 189 eligibility
- Home Affairs, Superior English and Proficient English
- Home Affairs, SkillSelect invitation rounds
Checked on 10 November 2026. Invitation rounds and state lists change through the year, so check the latest round for your occupation before you plan around a score.