The Australian System in One Paragraph
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect; you're scored on age, English, qualifications, experience and more. If you hit 65 points and your occupation is on the eligible list, you might get invited to apply — the Department then runs quarterly invitation rounds, picking the highest-scoring EOIs per occupation. There is no employer required for the 189, but a state nomination (190) or regional nomination (491) adds points and much better odds.
Honest framing: 65 points is an entry floor, not an invitation threshold. In the 4 June 2026 round, 10,000 EOIs were invited with cut-offs ranging 65 (trades) to 100 (urologists); most professionals needed ~85–95. English (IELTS 8 = 20 points) and age under 33 (30 points) are the two levers everyone controls.
The Three Skilled Visas
| Visa | Sponsorship | Points bonus | Processing (median) | Realistic scores |
|---|
| Skilled Independent (189) | None — live anywhere | — | 6–13 months | 85–95+ (IT/accounting 90–95) |
| Skilled Nominated (190) | State/territory | +5 | ~11 months | 75–90 |
| Skilled Work Regional (491) | State or eligible family in a regional area | +15 | ~9 months | 65–85 (lowest of the three) |
Common requirements: under 45 at invitation, occupation on the skilled list (MLTSSL for 189), positive skills assessment (ACS, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS etc.), competent English minimum, 65+ points, health & character. Fees from 1 July 2026: $6,135–6,140 primary (secondary 18+ $3,070; under-18 $1,540).
- 189: the dream visa — no strings, permanent from grant
- 190: state nomination (moral undertaking to live/work there 2 years); state fees $0–300+
- 491: 5-year provisional; live/work/study in a designated regional area all 5 years; PR via subclass 191 after 3 years + income ≥$53,900/yr
Employer-Sponsored: 482 → 186
⚙️ Skills in Demand (482)
Temporary, up to 4 years. Three streams: Specialist Skills (no occupation list, salary ≥~$135K), Core Skills (456-occupation CSOL, salary ≥ CSIT), Essential Skills (still being negotiated). No age limit, no points test; 1 year relevant experience (down from 2); IELTS 5.0. Median processing ~3 months. PR via 186 TRT after 2 years with the same sponsor.
🏢 Employer Nomination (186)
Permanent. TRT stream (2 yrs on 482/SID with same sponsor), Direct Entry (3 yrs experience + skills assessment + competent English), or Labour Agreement. Under 45 (exemptions). Salary ≥ TSMIT (~$79,423 from 1 July 2026). Fee $6,140; median ~11 months.
Employer-side costs: sponsorship approval, nomination fee ($330), and the SAF levy ($1,200/yr small business, $1,800/yr large). There's a 60-day grace period to switch sponsors if you leave a job.
The Points Test (Schedule 6D, 2026)
| Category | Criteria | Points |
|---|
| Age | 18–24 / 33–39 | 25 |
| 25–32 | 30 |
| English | Competent (IELTS 6) | 0 |
| Proficient (IELTS 7 / PTE 65) | 10 |
| Superior (IELTS 8 / PTE 79) | 20 |
| Overseas experience | 3–4 yrs | 5 |
| 5–7 yrs | 10 |
| 8+ yrs | 15 |
| (Australian experience caps at 20) | 1–8+ yrs | 5–20 |
| Education | Doctorate | 20 |
| Bachelor or Master | 15 |
| Australian diploma/trade | 10 |
| Australian study | 2 years | 5 |
| Regional study | — | 5 |
| STEM master's/PhD (AU) | — | 10 |
| Professional Year | IT/engineering/accounting | 5 |
| NAATI language | Community language | 5 |
| Partner skills | Own skills assessment + English | 10 |
| Partner / single / AU citizen | Competent English or single | 5 |
| State nomination (190) | — | 5 |
| Regional nomination (491) | — | 15 |
Theoretical max ~130; realistic high scores 90–110. Points lock in at invitation (age freezes then). English results are valid 3 years. Ties are broken by earliest EOI Date of Effect.
National Innovation Visa (858)
Replaced Global Talent and the closed Business Innovation & Investment Program (Dec 2024). Invitation-only for internationally recognised achievers — research, entrepreneurship, elite athletes/creatives, investors. No points test, no job offer, no age limit. Requires a Form 1000 nomination from an Australian citizen/PR/organisation of national standing. Fee $6,235 (July 2026); ~4–7 months processing; 2025–26 planning level 4,300 places. Invitation odds are rough: 146 of 1,815 EOIs invited in Q1 2026.
Tourist & Visitor Visas
Three routes cover tourism, family visits and short stays. Which one applies depends almost entirely on your passport.
| Visa | Who it's for | Cost (2026) | Max stay |
|---|
| eVisitor (651) | EU countries, the UK and most of Europe (36 eligible passports) | Free | 3 months per visit, 12-month validity |
| ETA (601) | Short list of eligible passports incl. US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore | A$20 | 3 months per visit, 12-month validity |
| Visitor (600) | Everyone else; also for longer, family or sponsored stays | A$250 (offshore; A$630 onshore) | 3, 6 or 12 months |
No work: none of the visitor visas permit paid work in Australia, and study is limited to 3 months per course. If you want to work, you need a work visa — see the routes below.
Business Visitor Visas
Short business trips use the Visitor 600 — Business Visitor stream (A$250, up to 3 months per visit) or, for eligible passports, the eVisitor/ETA, which automatically cover "business visitor" activities. The old business subclasses 456 (business short-stay) and 459 (sponsored business visitor) were abolished in 2013 and folded into the 600 and ETA.
- Allowed: attending meetings and conferences, negotiating contracts, consulting clients, site inspections — no Australian salary
- Documents: invitation letter from the Australian business, employer letter, itinerary, proof of funds
- Not allowed: working for an Australian employer or being paid locally
More Work & Graduate Routes
🎓 Temporary Graduate (485) Post-study
For international graduates of Australian institutions: 18 months to 4 years of full work rights depending on qualification, then convert to the 189/190/491 skilled visas or 482 sponsorship. From 2026 the fee is A$5,750 and requirements have tightened (age and English). The most common bridge to PR for students.
🏄 Working Holiday (417/462) Youth
Ages 18–30 (some nationalities to 35); 12 months with work rights (max 6 months per employer) and up to 4 months of study. Second and third years are available with specified regional work. Fee A$840 (1st year, July 2026). The 417 covers mostly European/Commonwealth passports; the 462 is country-specific.
🌏 Pacific Labour Scheme (PALM) Regional
For Pacific island nations and Timor-Leste: seasonal work up to 9 months and longer-term work up to 4 years in agriculture, aged care and meat processing. No direct PR path, but participants often transition into employer sponsorship.
🚀 Global Talent → NVI (858) Elite
The old Global Talent visa (GTI) was folded into the National Innovation Visa in late 2024 — the 858 now covers internationally recognised talent in research, tech, sport and the arts. See the NVI section above.
Reform timeline: from 7 December 2024 the Skills in Demand visa replaced the TSS 482 as Australia's main employer-sponsored temporary visa, tied to the new 456-occupation CSOL and an indexed salary threshold. Migration-program levels for 2026–27 remain focused on health, construction, education and tech occupations.
From Study in Australia to PR
The classic Australian path: complete a degree or higher in Australia (adds 5–15 points), take the 485 graduate visa for 2–4 years of work, then lodge for 189/190/491 skilled visas or convert to 482→186 sponsorship. Full course, cost and visa details in Study in Australia.
Citizenship in brief: Australian citizenship is possible after 4 years of lawful residence, including at least 1 year as a permanent resident, with English and character requirements. Dual citizenship is allowed.
Family & Partner Visas
💑 Partner visa (820/801, 309/100) Family
For spouses or de facto partners of Australian citizens/PRs. Two-stage: temporary (820 or 309) then permanent (801 or 100) roughly 2 years later. Fee A$11,710 (July 2026); total processing 25–30+ months. Full work and study rights while waiting.
👨👩👧 Parent visas (103/143) Long waits
The non-contributory Parent (103) has queues of 30+ years. The Contributory Parent (143) is faster but expensive — ~A$5,040 first instalment plus ~A$43,600 second instalment per parent, with waits still around 14+ years. A serious, long-horizon decision.
Children: dependent children of PRs and citizens are included as secondary applicants on most visa applications and join with full school access.
Investor & Business Migration: BIIP is Closed
Read this before planning a "golden visa": Australia's Business Innovation & Investment Program (subclass 188 and its 888 PR step) has been closed to new applications since July 2024, and the significant-investor 188C stream was abolished in January 2025. Existing holders are still processed. The replacement for outstanding talent and investors is the invitation-only National Innovation Visa (858) — see above.
Special Categories
🦘 New Zealand citizens (SCV 444)
Special Category Visa granted on arrival — indefinite stay and work rights for NZ citizens with no application fee. Since July 2023, NZ citizens can apply for Australian citizenship after 4 years of residence without first holding PR.
🧓 Investor Retirement (405)
Brief: for retirees 55+ with substantial assets (around A$500,000 in regional or A$750,000 in non-regional designated investments, plus roughly A$65,000 annual income). Check current Home Affairs thresholds — it is a modest, rarely used route.
🏥 Medical treatment (602)
For people coming to Australia for medical treatment or consultations, and their support persons. Fee A$480 (July 2026); usually up to 12 months; no work rights beyond the treatment context.
Fees at a Glance
| Visa | Subclass | Fee (from 1 July 2026) |
|---|
| eVisitor | 651 | Free |
| ETA | 601 | A$20 |
| Visitor (tourist/business) | 600 | A$250 (A$630 onshore) |
| Working Holiday | 417/462 | A$840 (1st year) |
| Temporary Graduate | 485 | A$5,750 |
| Skills in Demand | 482 | A$4,015 |
| Skilled Independent | 189 | A$6,135 |
| Skilled Nominated / Regional | 190/491 | A$6,140 |
| Employer Nomination | 186 | A$6,140 |
| Partner | 820/801 | A$11,710 |
Immigration FAQs
What's a realistic points score for an invitation in 2026?+
For most professional occupations, aim for 85–95. Trades sat at 65–75 in the June 2026 round; IT and accounting needed 90–95; medicine specialities up to 100. The 190 and 491 visas give lower cut-offs thanks to their +5/+15 bonuses, and state nomination is the most common way skilled workers actually get in.
Do I need a job offer for Australian PR?+
Not for 189/190/491 — you need a positive skills assessment and an occupation on the skilled list, not a job. The 482/186 employer routes do require sponsorship. This is what makes Australia different from the UK: points and skills, not just a sponsor.
Is studying in Australia the best route to PR?+
It's the most common one. Australian degrees add 5–10 points, regional study adds 5, and the 485 visa (2–4 years unlimited work) builds the experience and partner points you need. Realistic path: bachelor's/masters → 485 → 190/491 with points in the high 80s.
What is the minimum age and English for skilled visas?+
You must be under 45 at invitation (189/190/491; no age limit on 482). Minimum English is Competent (IELTS 6.0 all bands) — but that earns 0 points, so nearly every successful applicant holds Proficient (7) or Superior (8), worth 10 or 20 points.
When are the next invitation rounds?+
189 rounds are now quarterly — the next confirmed round is 30 September 2026 (the last 2025–26 round ran 4 June 2026). Lodge your EOI early so your Date of Effect is older — ties are broken by earliest submission.
Can I switch from a tourist visa to a work or PR visa in Australia?+
Almost never onshore. Visitor visas typically carry condition 8503 (no further stay), and the Department expects skilled and work applications to be lodged from outside Australia. The clean route is: leave, get the right visa (485, 482, 189/190/491…), then return.
Can I do business in Australia on a tourist visa?+
Yes for short trips — the Visitor 600 Business Visitor stream (and eVisitor/ETA) allow meetings, conferences, contract negotiation and site visits. You cannot work for an Australian employer, be paid locally, or take a job during the visit.
Do New Zealand citizens need a visa to live in Australia?+
No — NZ citizens receive the Special Category Visa (444) on arrival, valid indefinitely, with full work rights and no fee. Since July 2023 they can apply directly for Australian citizenship after 4 years of residence, without needing PR first.
Official Sources
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