Is 65 Points Enough for Australian Skilled Migration? - Australian skilled migration GSM points test 65 points Australia PR skilled visa

Norris Chau
19 hours ago
2 min read

Hello, I’m Norris Chau, a registered Australian migration agent.

Over the past few months, many clients have asked me the same question:

"Is 65 Points Enough for Australian Skilled Migration??"

Let’s start with the truth,

65 points may be enough to submit an EOI, but rarely enough to get an invitation.

That’s because the skilled migration program is competitive and dynamic your application is not only measured by whether you meet the minimum requirement, but how strong your points are compared to others.

65 Points Is the Entry Ticket, Not the Guaranteed Seat

The General Skilled Migration (GSM) program is point-based, but it works like a ranking system.For many occupations, especially in Accounting, IT, and Engineering, recent invitation rounds have shown that candidates often need 85–95 points to actually receive an invitation.

For instance, accountants rarely get invited with 65 points.Extra credentials such as NAATI certification, Professional Year, or state nomination (190/491) are now essential to stay competitive.

So while 65 points makes you “eligible,” in reality, you are competing against hundreds of others with much higher scores.

Understanding How the Points Work

The GSM points test considers multiple factors:

Age (up to 30 pts) – ages 25–32 are the most advantageous.
English ability (up to 20 pts) – PTE 79+ / IELTS 8.0+ gives full marks.
Education (up to 20 pts) – higher for Australian degrees.
Work experience (Australia & overseas) – up to 35 pts combined.
Partner skills / NAATI / Professional Year – bonus 5–10 pts.

Many applicants stop once they reach 65 points, thinking it’s enough.But unless you score around 80–90 points, it’s unlikely to receive an invitation from SkillSelect anytime soon.

State Nomination - A Practical Pathway

If your score is below 75, state or regional nomination (subclass 190 or 491) can make a big difference.States like Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania regularly invite skilled applicants in high-demand fields such as healthcare, IT, trades, and education.

State sponsorship not only gives extra 5–15 points, but also improves your chances by placing you in a smaller competitive pool.

Norris’s Advice - Build Strategy, Not Just Points

Your GSM score is more than just a number — it’s a roadmap.Even if your score is modest today, you can improve it strategically:

Boost your English test results (PTE / IELTS)
Gain NAATI CCL certification
Prepare your partner’s skills assessment
Complete a Professional Year

At Norris Chau Migration & Education, we don’t just calculate scores, we help clients understand their real position and build a pathway toward a genuine and achievable PR outcome.

65 points is a starting line, not a finish line.The goal is not to reach the minimum, but to build a profile that truly stands out.Each person’s background, career plan, and migration story are different — and that’s where a personalised strategy matters.

Through years of handling skilled visa cases, we’ve learned one thing:

Perfection doesn’t guarantee success, but sincerity and preparation do.

From Norris Chau,

Migration Specialist / Registered Migration Agent (MARN1804335) / JP(QUAL)