If you’ve spent any time in Australian migration forums or Facebook groups lately, you’ve probably seen the panic: “EOI minimum jumping to 70 points!” “You’ll need 100+ to get invited!” “Study bonus is being scrapped!”
Some of this is rooted in real government announcements. A lot of it isn’t. And if you’re planning your Subclass 189, 190, or 491 pathway around rumours instead of facts, you could end up making the wrong call at exactly the wrong time.
Here’s a clear-eyed breakdown of what the Australian Government has actually confirmed about the points test reform, what’s still on the drawing board, and what you should be doing about it right now.
What’s Actually Confirmed
In the 2026–27 Federal Budget, the government confirmed it will reform the permanent skilled migration points test. The stated goal is to “optimise” the system so it selects migrants who are better educated, higher-skilled, and younger overall, with a clearer focus on long-term productivity rather than simply rewarding how long someone has held a visa.
A few other things were locked in alongside that announcement:
- The migration program size stays at 185,000 places for 2026–27, with more than 70% still allocated to the skill stream.
- Onshore applicants are being prioritised. Roughly 129,590 places have gone to people already in Australia, compared with 55,110 for offshore applicants. If you’re currently on a student visa, a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa, or another temporary visa, that’s a meaningful structural advantage.
- $85.2 million has been committed to speeding up skills assessments and occupational licensing, which should help reduce processing bottlenecks for trades and other regulated occupations.
- Invitations already issued under the current test will be honoured. The existing points test remains in force until any new version is legislated.
What’s Still Just a Proposal
This is the part getting stretched out of shape online. None of the following has been legislated as of early July 2026:
- A jump in the minimum EOI threshold from 65 to 70 points
- Points awarded for earning above the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (currently around $141,210)
- A reweighting of age points to favour applicants in their 20s and early 30s even more heavily than the current system
- Changes to how partner skills or regional study bonuses are counted
- A shift in English band requirements, though Superior English already carries a strong 20-point advantage today
The government’s own Budget papers are explicit that these details haven’t been finalised. A full consultation paper is expected before draft legislation, and legislation itself isn’t expected until later in the year. Until that happens, the current points test is what determines your invitation.
Why This Matters for Your Strategy Right Now
The uncertainty itself is the risk. Whether you sit tight or move now depends heavily on where your score currently stands.
If your score is already strong (85+ points): The current test may genuinely be more favourable to you than whatever replaces it. Lodging your EOI now, while the existing rules apply, is generally the lower-risk move.
If you’re in the borderline range (65–75 points): This is where it pays to be strategic rather than reactive. Small, controllable improvements make a real difference — retaking an English test to push from Proficient to Superior, finishing a skills assessment you’ve been putting off, or pursuing state nomination through the 190 or regional 491 pathway, which adds points on top of the federal test and isn’t directly exposed to the same reform uncertainty.
If you’re earlier in your planning: Don’t build your entire strategy around a points grid that doesn’t exist yet. Focus on the things that improve your position under any version of the test: English proficiency, a completed skills assessment, and relevant Australian work or study experience.
Practical Steps to Take Before the Rules Change
- Get your skills assessment moving now, even if you’re not ready to lodge. Processing can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months depending on the assessing authority, and it’s one of the few parts of the process entirely within your control.
- Push your English score up if you can. Superior English is valuable under the current system and is very likely to remain valuable, or become even more important, under any reformed version.
- Look seriously at state nomination or regional pathways. The 190 and 491 visas offer points beyond the federal test and give you options that aren’t solely dependent on how the core points test reform lands.
- Check where you actually stand today. Before making any decisions based on speculation, run your real numbers against the current, legislated points test.
Don’t Guess Your Score — Check It
This is exactly the kind of moment where relying on outdated calculators or secondhand forum advice can cost you months, or a visa refusal down the line. Rise Permit’s points calculator is built around the current, official points-based system, so you can see exactly where you stand today, not where a rumoured future system might place you.
Pair that with our skilled occupation search to confirm your role is on the right list, and our regional area map if a 491 pathway could give your application an edge. As the reform details firm up, we’ll keep this page and our in-app alerts updated so you’re working from facts, not forum threads.