You score yourself against the Australia PR points table, which awards points for age (peaking at 30 for ages 25–32), English ability (up to 20 for superior scores), skilled work experience (up to 20 combining Australian and overseas experience), and qualifications (15 for a bachelor, 20 for a PhD). Add-ons include NAATI accreditation (5), a Professional Year (5), Australian study (5), partner factors (5–10), and state nomination (5 for a 190, 15 for a 491). Add everything up honestly — inflated claims are a common reason EOIs fail at invitation.

65 is the minimum to lodge an EOI for the 189, 190 and 491, but it is really just the entry ticket. The Australia PR points cut-off for 189 invitation rounds has often sat well above 65, especially for popular occupations, while in-demand occupations can sometimes be nominated at 65–75 through the 190 or 491. Check recent invitation results for your occupation before assuming 65 is competitive.

The biggest single lever is English — moving from proficient (10 points) to superior (20 points) adds 10, and superior scores in PTE or IELTS are achievable with focused preparation. Then look at NAATI accreditation (5), a Professional Year for eligible accounting, IT or engineering graduates (5), additional skilled experience (5–20), partner factors (5–10 if single or with a skilled partner), and state nomination (5 for 190, 15 for 491). Pick the two or three levers you can realistically move in the next 6–12 months.

The points framework is reviewed periodically, and occupation lists, invitation settings and cut-offs are updated each program year, so a table you saved months ago may already be outdated. Always calculate against the current settings and check the latest invitation round results before lodging. Points claimed in your EOI are what you are assessed on at invitation, so accuracy matters as much as total score.

No — students are scored on exactly the same points test as everyone else. What students can claim is 5 points for an Australian qualification involving at least two academic years of study, another 5 for studying in regional Australia, and skilled employment points once they hold full work rights after graduating. The smarter play is to stack English, NAATI and experience points before a graduate visa runs out.

The 482 is Australia's employer-sponsored temporary visa, now called the Skills in Demand visa after replacing the old TSS in December 2024. An approved Australian employer nominates you for a skilled role, generally on the Core Skills occupation list and at or above the relevant salary threshold, and you need at least one year of recent relevant work experience. After around two years on the visa, most holders can move to permanent residence through the 186 transition stream.

The 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) is a permanent employer-sponsored visa with two main streams: Direct Entry, typically for applicants outside Australia or those who have never held a 482, and Temporary Residence Transition, for 482 holders who have worked for their sponsor for two years. You generally need to be under 45 and meet English, skills and health requirements. It is the most common PR destination for people who start on a 482.

The 485 (Temporary Graduate visa) gives international students who have recently completed eligible Australian study full work rights for a limited period — generally two to three years depending on the qualification. It exists so graduates can gain the skilled experience and points needed for PR, and there is an age limit that applies to most applicants (generally under 35, with some exemptions). You must apply while in Australia within the set window after course completion, and many graduates use this time to secure 190 or 491 nomination.

You must be married, or in a de facto relationship of at least 12 months (unless it is a registered relationship in a state that recognises one), with a sponsor who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. The heart of the application is proving a genuine, continuing relationship across four evidence areas: financial, social, household and commitment. Both partners must also satisfy character requirements, including police clearances.

The base government charge for the main applicant is the same for onshore (820/801) and offshore (309/100) applications and has been climbing every 1 July with fee indexation, so expect the 2026 figure to be higher than the AUD 9,000-plus range of recent years. On top of the base charge, budget for health examinations, police certificates, certified translations and other document costs. Always check the current fee schedule when you are ready to pay, since the published amount changes annually.

There is no fixed processing time — the Department publishes indicative ranges that move with demand and application quality. As a broad guide, reaching the temporary stage (820 or 309) commonly takes around 12 to 24 months, with the permanent stage (801 or 100) generally finalised about two years after you applied. Complete, well-evidenced applications with health and police checks done early tend to move faster, and onshore applicants usually get a bridging visa allowing them to stay, and often work, while waiting.

"Spouse visa" is not an official subclass — it is the everyday term for the partner visa. Married and de facto couples (including same-sex couples) apply under the same two-stage process: onshore it is subclass 820 temporary then 801 permanent, and offshore it is subclass 309 temporary then 100 permanent. So when people say spouse visa, they mean this partner visa pathway.

The partner provisional visa is the temporary visa granted first in an offshore partner application — subclass 309, the Partner (Provisional) visa. It lets you live, work and study in Australia while the permanent stage, subclass 100, is finalised, generally around two years after you lodged, provided the relationship is still genuine and continuing. The onshore equivalent is the 820 temporary visa, which precedes the 801 permanent visa.

First work out which situation you are in: withdrawing an application that has not been decided is done by notifying the Department in writing (fees are not refunded), while cancelling a visa that has already been granted is much harder and requires written reasons. A sponsor cannot cancel your visa themselves — only the Department can — though a sponsor can inform it of a relationship breakdown. If family violence is involved, special provisions may still allow a grant despite the relationship ending, and any cancellation can affect future applications, so get advice before acting.

It comes down to where you are when you apply and are granted: the offshore stream (subclasses 309/100) requires you to be outside Australia when you lodge, while the onshore stream (subclasses 820/801) requires you to be in Australia on an eligible visa, which usually means a bridging visa with work rights while it is processed. The relationship evidence and the "genuine and continuing" test are the same for both. Check your current visa for "no further stay" conditions, which can block an onshore application.