Australia will raise the pass mark needed to pass the points test needed to qualify for General Skilled Migration visas from the start of next month.
Yesterday, Australia’s Department of Immigration revealed that the pass mark needed to qualify for a Skilled Independent visa will rise to 65 points on the 1st July. This is up from the current mark of 60 points.
And while a five-point rise may not sound like much, given that the highest possible score is 145, many of the points are awarded based on education and qualifications, which often makes it easier for highly skilled professionals to score points. Many non-professional workers, such as trade workers, had already been reliant on having their application sponsored by a state or territory government, which is worth five bonus points, to reach the 60-point mark.
The test, which awards points for a range of factors, including age, education, work experience and English language proficiency, needs to be passed by all those applying for an Australian skilled visa.
In addition, the applicant’s profession must also be listed as an eligible skilled occupation. This list is also set to be updated on 1st July.
Article published 29th June 2018