SkillSelect EOI Explained: How Points, Updates and Invitations Actually Work

• Skilled Independent visa --- subclass 189
• Skilled Nominated visa --- subclass 190
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa --- subclass 491

The way the invitation is generated differs between the pathways.

For subclass 189 and family-sponsored subclass 491, Home Affairs runs
invitation rounds.

For state or territory nominated subclass 190 and 491 pathways, state
and territory agencies view EOIs and decide which candidates they will
nominate.

Submitting an EOI tells the Australian Government that you are
interested in being invited to apply for a skilled visa.

You do not upload the full visa evidence package when creating the EOI.

If you later receive an invitation, you make the actual visa application
through ImmiAccount and provide evidence supporting the relevant claims.

An EOI therefore does not give you a visa, a bridging visa or a
guarantee that you will be invited.

Costs can arise before or after the EOI stage --- for example, English
testing, skills assessments, state nomination processes where
applicable, professional assistance and the eventual visa application
charge.

The EOI itself should not be confused with the paid visa application.

Home Affairs currently sets the minimum points threshold at 65.

SkillSelect calculates an indicative score from information including:

• age
• English ability
• skilled employment
• educational qualifications
• Australian study and other eligible factors
• partner circumstances
• state nomination or eligible-relative sponsorship where applicable

But 65 is a minimum threshold, not a guaranteed invitation score.

Higher-ranked EOIs can be selected before lower-ranked EOIs, and state
nomination programs can apply their own selection criteria.

This can include:

• nominated occupation
• skills assessment
• age
• English results
• qualifications
• skilled employment
• Australian study
• partner points
• state nomination interest
• family-sponsored 491 information where relevant

SkillSelect provides an indicative score based on what you enter.

The eventual visa application must support the points score and other
criteria relevant to your invitation.

Home Affairs allows you to update your EOI while it remains active and
before you receive an invitation.

Examples of changes that may require an update include:

• new skilled work experience
• completing a higher qualification
• improving your English result
• obtaining a new skills assessment
• changing occupation
• changes in employment
• changes in family structure
• changes affecting partner points

SkillSelect updates the indicative points score when the information
changes.

For example, you may:

• reach another skilled-employment threshold
• obtain a higher English result
• complete another eligible qualification
• become eligible for additional partner points
• receive state nomination

The points need to reflect circumstances you can support under the
applicable migration rules.

Do not claim points simply because you expect to qualify for them later.

If your circumstances change in a way that reduces your points or
changes your eligibility, your EOI should remain accurate.

Examples can include changes to:

• age
• employment circumstances
• relationship or partner status
• occupation
• skills assessment
• other information relevant to your points claims

Leaving outdated information in an EOI can create a serious problem if
an invitation is based on a score you cannot later substantiate.

During that period, you may receive an invitation.

Home Affairs also archives incomplete EOIs after two years.

An EOI can be withdrawn before invitation if you no longer want to be
considered.

The invitation is based on the information and indicative points score
in the EOI.

For the 190 and 491 pathways, Home Affairs guidance explains that the
EOI is suspended during the 60-day invitation period. If the invitation
period passes without an application, updating may again become
possible, subject to the EOI and invitation history.

The safer approach is to make sure the EOI is accurate before selection.

Higher-ranked EOIs are invited before lower-ranked EOIs.

Where two EOIs have the same points score, Home Affairs uses the date
of effect as a tie-break.

The date of effect is the time and date at which the EOI reached the
points score being considered for that subclass.

An earlier date of effect ranks ahead of a later one at the same score.

If an update changes the points score, the date at which the EOI reached
that score can become relevant to invitation ranking.

For departmental invitation rounds, Home Affairs uses this date of
effect to rank EOIs that have equal points.

This is one reason previous invitation-round results should not be
interpreted using points alone.

Relevant state and territory government agencies can view EOIs in
SkillSelect and decide which candidates they will nominate for:

• subclass 190
• state or territory nominated subclass 491

When a state or territory nominates a candidate in SkillSelect, that
nomination triggers an invitation to apply for the visa.

Each jurisdiction can have its own nomination criteria, priorities and
processes.

An EOI that satisfies the federal points threshold does not guarantee
state nomination.

Like subclass 189, Home Affairs ranks eligible EOIs by points score and
then uses date of effect as a tie-break where scores are equal.

This is different from the state or territory nominated 491 pathway.

Home Affairs states that this period cannot be extended.

The invitation contains the indicative points score based on the EOI
claims.

When applying, you need to show that you:

• meet the points score stated in the invitation, and
• meet the other eligibility criteria for the visa

An invitation is permission to lodge the visa application. It is not a
visa approval.

Home Affairs requires the visa applicant to meet the points score stated
in the invitation and the applicable visa criteria.

If the evidence does not support a claim used to obtain the invitation,
the visa application may not satisfy the requirements.

This is why an EOI should be treated as a factual migration record
rather than an estimate of the points you hope to have later.

However, Home Affairs states that if you receive two invitations and
do not apply after either of them, your EOI will be removed from
SkillSelect.

There is no guarantee that a second invitation will be issued.

Whether multiple EOIs are useful depends on the occupations, visa
subclasses and nomination strategies involved.

The important point is that every EOI and every claim within it must
remain accurate.

Submitting multiple EOIs does not create extra eligibility or guarantee
an invitation.

But that does not mean evidence can be dealt with later without
planning.

You should already understand whether you can substantiate important
claims such as:

• skills assessment
• English
• qualifications
• employment
• partner points
• other points-test attributes

If invited, those claims become relevant to the visa application.

Review it when your circumstances change.

A useful check includes:

• Is the nominated occupation still appropriate?
• Is the skills assessment suitable and current?
• Have you gained additional skilled employment?
• Has your English score changed?
• Have you completed another qualification?
• Have your relationship or family circumstances changed?
• Have you become eligible for state nomination?
• Has a state nomination program changed?
• Is every points claim still supportable?

Home Affairs specifically advises applicants to keep EOI information up
to date and accurate.

• nominated occupation
• suitable skills assessment
• English result
• age
• skilled employment
• qualifications
• Australian study or other points claims
• partner information
• state or territory nomination interest
• eligible-relative sponsorship details for 491 where relevant
• current indicative points score
• evidence available to support each material claim

The aim is not simply to maximise the number displayed in SkillSelect.

It is to have an accurate and defensible EOI if an invitation
arrives.

Hans Immigration Services can review your occupation, points and skilled
migration circumstances and help you understand how your EOI fits into
your 189, 190 or 491 pathway.

Book a consultation with Hans Immigration Services to discuss your
skilled migration pathway.