Free Australia Subclass 491 Visa Points Calculator
Check your eligibility for Australian Permanent Residency under Subclass 491 and calculate your SkillSelect points instantly using our advanced migration assessment platform.
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Subclass 491 — Regional Nomination Bonus (+15) (+15 starting points)
Age
What is your age at the time of invitation?
Age points peak between 25–32 and reduce after 40.
English
What is your English language ability?
IELTS 6 = Competent, 7 = Proficient, 8 = Superior. PTE / TOEFL / OET / CAE equivalents apply.
Overseas Experience
Overseas skilled work experience
Australian Experience
Australian skilled work experience
Education
Highest educational qualification
Australian Study
Australian study requirement (2+ years)
Specialist Education
Specialist STEM Masters or PhD
Masters by research or PhD in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics.
Community Language
Accredited community language (NAATI)
Professional Year
Professional Year in Australia
Recognised PY in Accounting, IT or Engineering.
Regional Study
Study in regional Australia
Partner
Partner / spouse contribution
How to improve your score
- Re-sit IELTS / PTE to reach Proficient (IELTS 7) — instant +10 points.
- Pursue state nomination through the 190 or 491 pathway.
- Complete a Professional Year in Australia (+5 points).
- Have your partner's skills and English assessed (+5 to +10).
- Apply for NAATI Community Language credential (+5 points).
- Consider regional study or work for +15 nomination bonus.
What is the Australia Subclass 491 points calculator?
The Australia Subclass 491 points calculator is a free SkillSelect points tool that helps you estimate your eligibility for Australian permanent residency. Every Skilled Migration applicant must lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect, where the Department of Home Affairs ranks candidates by their points score. Only the highest-ranked candidates are invited to apply, so understanding your score is the very first step in the migration process. This calculator mirrors the official points test used by the Department, including age, English, education, overseas and Australian work experience, partner points, state nomination, professional year, STEM qualifications, community language credentials and regional study.
How Australia PR points are calculated
The Australian points test is made up of multiple categories. Each factor is scored independently and combined into a single total. The minimum score to be considered is 65 points, but in practice invitations are issued to candidates with much higher totals — particularly for popular occupations.
Age
Maximum 30 points awarded to applicants aged 25–32. Points reduce sharply after 40.
English language
Competent (0), Proficient (10) or Superior (20). IELTS, PTE, TOEFL iBT, OET and CAE are all accepted.
Overseas work experience
Up to 15 points for skilled employment outside Australia in your nominated or closely related occupation.
Australian work experience
Up to 20 points for skilled employment in Australia — a major differentiator for onshore applicants.
Educational qualifications
20 points for a PhD, 15 for a Bachelor's or Master's, 10 for a diploma or recognised trade qualification.
State or regional nomination
+5 for Subclass 190 (state nominated), +15 for Subclass 491 (regional). 189 is independent and receives no nomination bonus.
Partner points
10 points for a single applicant, 10 for a partner with a positive skills assessment and competent English, 5 for a partner with competent English only.
Professional Year
+5 points for completing a Professional Year Program in Australia (IT, Engineering, Accounting).
Community language (NAATI)
+5 points for a NAATI-accredited credential in a community language.
Specialist STEM qualification
+10 points for a Masters by Research or PhD in a STEM field from an Australian institution.
Regional study
+5 points for completing eligible study in regional Australia.
How to improve your Australia Subclass 491 score
- Sit a higher-band English test — moving from IELTS 6 to 7 adds 10 points instantly.
- Pursue state or regional nomination to unlock a 5 or 15 point bonus.
- Gain additional skilled work experience — overseas and Australian experience both count.
- Complete a Professional Year Program in Australia for +5 points.
- Obtain a NAATI community language credential for +5 points.
- Have your partner's qualifications assessed — partner points can add up to 10 points.
- Consider regional study for +5 points and a 491 nomination pathway.
Starting points for Subclass 491
Subclass 491 carries the largest nomination bonus on the points test — +15 points for regional state or family sponsorship. Your starting score is 15.
Subclass 189 vs 190 vs 491 — at a glance
| Feature | Subclass 189 | Subclass 190 | Subclass 491 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa type | Independent PR | State nominated PR | Regional provisional (5 yr) |
| Nomination required | No | Yes – state/territory | Yes – state or family |
| Bonus points | 0 | +5 | +15 |
| Live & work | Anywhere in Australia | Sponsoring state for 2 years | Designated regional area |
| PR pathway | PR on grant | PR on grant | PR via Subclass 191 after 3 yrs |
| Family inclusion | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Top-ranked applicants | Targeted occupations | Regional workers |
Frequently asked questions
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