SkillSelect is the Australian Department of Home Affairs online system through which skilled migrants submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for points-tested skilled visas. Rather than applying directly for a visa, candidates first submit an EOI — a profile that records their personal details, skills, qualifications, work experience, language ability, and other information contributing to their points score. DHA and state/territory governments then draw from the SkillSelect pool to invite candidates to apply for a visa.

SkillSelect operates on a demand-management model: having an active EOI in the system does not entitle a candidate to a visa — they must be invited to apply. Invitations are issued in periodic draw rounds, and only candidates at or above the cut-off score in each round receive an invitation.

• Migration Act 1958, s 46A and 46B — the legislative basis for invitation-only visa applications
• Migration Regulations 1994 — EOI requirements for subclasses 189, 190, and 491
• DHA: SkillSelect overview — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/skillselect
• DHA: SkillSelect invitation rounds — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/skillselect/invitation-rounds

Submitting an EOI

An EOI is submitted through the DHA SkillSelect portal. The EOI asks for information about the candidate's:

• Age, English language ability, and qualifications (which determine points)
• Skilled employment history (Australian and overseas) and skills assessment outcome
• Whether they have a partner with a skills assessment, study in Australia, and other factors that affect the points score
• Which visa subclasses they are expressing interest in (189, 190, 491 — candidates can indicate interest in multiple subclasses)
• Preferred state or territory (relevant for 190 and 491)

An EOI can be submitted at any time and remains active in the system for 2 years. Candidates can update their EOI if their circumstances change (e.g., further work experience, an improved language test score) — updating an EOI may change the points score and, for some fields, resets the submission date.

The 65-point minimum

To be eligible to submit an EOI (and to be considered for an invitation), a candidate must have a minimum of 65 points on the points test. Candidates below 65 points cannot lodge an EOI. However, meeting the 65-point minimum does not guarantee an invitation — actual cut-off scores in draws are often significantly higher. The cut-off score in each draw depends on the number of places available in that round and the composition of the SkillSelect pool.

Invitation rounds

DHA conducts invitation rounds periodically — typically monthly for the subclass 189 general pool. In each round:

• DHA ranks all eligible EOIs in the pool by points score
• DHA invites candidates starting from the highest points score until the available invitation allocations for that round are exhausted
• The lowest points score at which an invitation was issued in that round is the cut-off score for that round

Historical invitation round data — including cut-off scores, number of invitations, and which occupations were included — is published by DHA at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/skillselect/invitation-rounds.

After receiving an invitation

When a candidate is invited to apply, they have 60 days from the date of the invitation to lodge a complete visa application. This 60-day window is fixed and cannot be extended — a candidate who does not lodge within 60 days must wait for a new invitation. The complete application must be lodged with all required documents, health examinations, and other requirements.

State and territory nomination invitations

For the subclass 190 and 491, states and territories also conduct their own draw processes from the SkillSelect pool — separate from the DHA federal rounds. A candidate who receives a state or territory nomination invitation must then apply to the state/territory and, if nominated, receives a DHA invitation to apply for the visa. These two steps (state nomination then DHA invitation) are distinct from the DHA federal draw process for the subclass 189.

SkillSelect cut-off scores fluctuate. The historical cut-off data published by DHA provides a useful guide but should not be assumed to reflect future cut-offs. A candidate who has been in the pool for some time may find that the cut-off rises (if demand increases) or falls (if DHA issues more invitations). There is no time priority among EOIs with the same points score — a tiebreaker based on EOI submission date may apply in some circumstances.

A skills assessment from a relevant assessing authority is a prerequisite for most skilled visa applications, and the skills assessment outcome affects the points score. Candidates should ensure their skills assessment is current and valid (typically 3 years) before lodging an EOI. For the skills assessment process, refer to the skills assessment process page.

For current invitation round data and the SkillSelect submission portal, refer to the DHA SkillSelect page.