How do you apply for Australian skilled migration from Pakistan? (2026)

Which Australian skilled visa fits a professional in Pakistan: 189, 190 or 491?

For most engineers, IT staff and accountants in Pakistan, the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa is the first to check. The Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa comes next. Both are permanent, while the Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa is provisional and regional.

All three share one points test and one invitation system. They differ in who backs you, which occupation lists apply and where you may live.

Skilled Independent (subclass 189)

No state, employer or relative sponsors you, so you compete on points alone. Under the occupation instrument LIN 19/051, this visa draws on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List. That is the narrowest of the three lists.

Skilled Nominated (subclass 190)

A state or territory government nominates you first. The nomination adds 5 points and opens the Short-term Skilled Occupation List as well. Each state adds its own criteria on top of the federal ones.

Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) in brief

This visa lasts 5 years from grant. A state or territory must nominate you, or an eligible relative living in a designated regional area must sponsor you. It adds 15 points. Under condition 8579, you must live, work and study only in designated regional areas.

If permanent residence anywhere is the goal, compare this route with the Canada Express Entry guide. Canada also uses points, but with different rules on age, funds and tests.

What are the basic requirements for the subclass 189 and 190 visas?

At invitation, you must be under 45, have a listed occupation, hold a suitable skills assessment, have competent English and score at least 65. Without the invitation itself, you cannot apply.

Under 45 at invitation

As of 15 September 2026, items 1137 and 1138 of Schedule 1 to the Migration Regulations say you must not have turned 45 at invitation. Item 1241 sets the same rule for the 491. Age is measured when you are invited, not when you lodge an expression of interest. A 44-year-old waiting in the pool can run out of time.

An occupation on the relevant list

You nominate one skilled occupation. It must be listed in the instrument at invitation and named in the invitation. On 15 September 2026, civil engineer, software engineer, developer programmer and accountant (general) were all on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List. Lists change, so check yours on the day.

A suitable skills assessment

Your assessing authority must have found your skills suitable before the invitation. An assessment for a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa does not count. It must also be current, meaning within 3 years of its date or any shorter period it states.

Competent English

You need an accepted test result at competent level, taken in the 3 years before invitation. Holders of Canadian, New Zealand, Irish, British and American passports are exempt. A Pakistani passport holder needs a test.

The score and the invitation

Your score must reach 65 and be no lower than the score in your invitation. If a claim cannot be proved and your points fall, the application can fail. You must apply within the period the invitation states.

How does the Australian points test work, and what is the pass mark?

The pass mark is 65 points, set by the Minister in LIN 19/210 for the 189, 190 and 491. Points come from Schedule 6D of the Migration Regulations. Almost every factor is judged at the time of invitation.

How the rules combine

You get points for one item in each part, the highest you meet. Overseas and Australian work experience are added together but capped at 20. “Employed” means paid work in an occupation for at least 20 hours a week.

Points for a Pakistani degree

A bachelor qualification from outside Australia earns 15 points only if it is of a recognised standard. The Department considers your assessing authority’s view, the length of study and other relevant matters. HEC attestation helps show a degree is genuine, but the assessment outcome decides the points.

Australian study and partner points

The Australian study requirement needs at least 2 academic years of registered courses, over at least 16 calendar months, taught in English while you held a visa allowing study. Some Pakistanis study in Australia first for this reason, and the comparison of study destinations sets Australia beside the other main countries.

A partner applying with you adds 10 points only if they are under 45, with a suitable skills assessment and competent English. Competent English alone adds 5.

When I review a points claim, the first request is the document behind every line. A score built on a generous reading of experience letters is a refusal waiting to happen.

Which body assesses your skills, and how much does it cost?

LIN 19/051 names the assessing authority beside each occupation. Each body sets its own rules, documents, fees and timelines, separate from the visa charge.

Engineers Australia

Civil engineers and most other engineering occupations go to Engineers Australia. It offers accord pathways for accredited qualifications from full signatory countries, and a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) pathway for others. Check whether your Pakistan Engineering Council accredited degree and graduation year fall within an accord.

For 2026 to 2027, it lists AUD 1,034 including GST for a standard CDR assessment and AUD 555.50 for an accord qualification. Standard applications generally take 15 weeks to reach an assessor. Fast track costs AUD 396.

Australian Computer Society (ACS)

ACS assesses software engineers and developer programmers. It rates the ICT content of your qualification and decides how much work history counts as skilled. As of 15 September 2026, it lists AUD 1,498 for a General Skills application and standard processing of 4 to 6 weeks.

VETASSESS

VETASSESS covers more than 341 professional occupations. It compares your qualification with the Australian Qualifications Framework and checks that your employment is relevant and at the right level. Its fees rise from 9 September 2026 in line with inflation, so confirm the figure on its site.

CPA Australia, CA ANZ and IPA for accountants

For accountant (general), LIN 19/051 names CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) and the Institute of Public Accountants. CPA Australia quotes about 10 business days for standard processing, with fees varying by location. CA ANZ checks new applications for completeness within 10 business days.

What IELTS or PTE score do you need for Australia?

For competent English, you need IELTS 6 in each of the four components, or the equivalent in another accepted test. Proficient English adds 10 points and superior English adds 20.

The Migration (Specification of Language Tests, Test Scores and Passports) Instrument 2025 took effect on 7 August 2025. It added CELPIP General, LANGUAGECERT Academic and the Michigan English Test, and set new scores. You must reach the minimum in every component. A strong overall result cannot rescue one weak skill.

Tests taken before 7 August 2025

Section 10 of the instrument still recognises IELTS, OET, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and Cambridge results taken before that date at the earlier scores, if taken within 36 months before you apply. For PTE Academic, those earlier minimums were 50, 65 and 79 in each component. The 3-year limit before invitation still applies.

Choosing a test

Pick the test in which you can reliably reach your level in all four skills. Moving from proficient to superior adds 10 points. That is the same gain as going from 3 to 8 years of skilled work abroad.

How do SkillSelect expressions of interest and invitations work?

You do not apply straight away. You lodge an expression of interest (EOI) in SkillSelect, claim your points and wait for an invitation.

What the EOI is

An EOI is not a visa application, so no visa charge is paid at that stage. You enter your occupation, English result, assessment and work history, and choose your visas. States and territories also use SkillSelect when choosing nominees.

Invitation rounds

Invitations are issued in rounds. Getting one depends on the places available and the other candidates, not only on reaching 65. The lowest score invited changes between rounds and occupations. Recent cut-offs are not quoted here because they could not be confirmed on an official page today, so check the round results Home Affairs publishes.

How does state or territory nomination work for the 190 and 491?

Each state and territory runs its own nomination programme, with its own lists, residence rules and selection methods. Meeting the federal criteria does not entitle you to a nomination.

An example: New South Wales

For the 190, the NSW Government says it invites the highest-ranking EOIs within occupation groups. It looks at points, age, English, education and years of skilled work. Your occupation must be on the NSW Skills List, with a valid assessment. If invited, you have 14 days to respond. One residence option covers people living offshore continuously for at least 6 months.

On 15 September 2026, the NSW page said its nomination places were fully allocated while it reviewed settings for the next program year. State programmes open, fill and change quickly.

Other states and territories

The other states and territories publish their own criteria. Read the official page of the state you want on the day you prepare, and treat lists shared in WhatsApp groups as unchecked. For the 491, condition 8579 makes regional living a legal condition. For the 190, read the state’s terms on living there before you accept.

How much does an Australian skilled visa cost in 2026?

As of 15 September 2026, the Migration Regulations set a base charge of AUD 6,135 for the 189 and AUD 6,140 for the 190 and 491. Each family member included in your application adds a further charge.

These amounts come from the compilation of the Regulations in effect from 1 July 2026. Lower amounts for Pacific passport holders do not apply to Pakistanis. A couple with one child applying for a 190 pays AUD 10,745 at lodgement. The rupee cost depends on your card’s exchange rate.

The second instalment

An applicant aged 18 or over who is assessed as not having functional English pays a second instalment before grant. For the 189 and 190, the Regulations exempt some applicants. The main applicant needs competent English anyway, so this usually concerns a partner or adult child.

Costs outside the visa charge

Skills assessment, English tests, translations, attestations, police certificates and medical examinations are paid separately. Budget for them in PKR from the start, including a possible second English test.

What health and character checks apply, and how do you get police certificates from Pakistan?

Every applicant must meet health criterion 4005 and character criterion 4001. Family members who are not migrating with you generally must meet them too.

Health

Criterion 4005 requires you to be free from tuberculosis and from conditions that threaten public health or would likely cause significant health care costs. You must complete any medical assessment the Department specifies, so wait for its instructions before booking.

Character and police certificates

Police certificates are the usual evidence for the character test. The Home Affairs character requirements page sets out which countries and ages need them. It could not be accessed for this guide, so check it directly rather than trusting a rule passed on by friends.

Pakistani police character certificates

Police character certificates in Pakistan follow provincial procedures. For Pakistanis already in Australia, the High Commission for Pakistan in Canberra says applicants from Islamabad, Punjab, Balochistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir apply through it or a consulate. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh use their own online portals. Work in Saudi Arabia, the UAE or Qatar may mean more certificates, so allow time.

How long does processing take, and what happens after the grant?

Home Affairs publishes a global visa processing times guide. Its figures change and could not be checked today, so look them up when you apply.

While your application is processed

The Department may ask for more information, medical examinations, police certificates or biometrics. Reply within the time given. Report changes such as a marriage or a birth, because the criteria must be met at decision time.

After a 189 or 190 grant

Both are permanent visas. Under clauses 189.511 and 190.511, the visa lets you travel to and enter Australia for 5 years from grant. Check the grant notice for any first entry date, and plan long trips around the end of that period.

After a 491 grant

For the subclass 191, you must have complied with condition 8579 and provide tax notices for 3 income years at or above the level the Minister sets. Applying for a 189 or 190 while holding a 491 generally needs 3 years on that visa first.

Want to see Australia first? A visit is a separate application, covered in the Australia visitor visa guide. If condition 8503 is imposed, you cannot switch visas from inside Australia.

How do you spot fraud, and who may legally help with an Australian application?

Invitations come only from the Australian Government, in writing, so no agent can sell you one. Paid help with an application is restricted by Australian law to registered migration agents and a few exempt groups.

Scams aimed at Pakistani applicants

• Paid invitations: an offer to arrange an invitation or state nomination for a fee. Invitations come from the Minister in writing, and states select nominees under their own criteria.
• Fake job offers: the 189 and 190 criteria contain no job offer requirement, so a “job offer that adds points” for these visas means nothing.
• Invented experience letters: letters claiming years you did not work reach the assessing authority, and criterion 4020 covers false information given to it.
• Arranged test results: anyone offering a “confirmed” IELTS or PTE score is offering a bogus document.

Before you pay anyone, read the guide to checking a visa consultant in Pakistan.

What section 280 of the Migration Act says

As of 15 September 2026, section 280 of the Migration Act 1958 says a person who is not a registered migration agent must not give immigration assistance. Section 276 defines that as using knowledge of migration procedure to prepare a visa application, advise on it, or represent the applicant in related proceedings. Under section 281, taking a fee for that help without registration can bring up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

The exceptions

Section 280 does not stop an Australian legal practitioner acting in connection with legal practice, a close family member, your nominator or sponsor, a parliamentarian or an official doing their duties. Diplomatic, consular and international organisation staff are also covered. Under section 276(3), clerical work, translation and passing on information without substantial comment are not immigration assistance.

I am a qualified lawyer in Pakistan, which is not the same as an Australian legal practitioner, and not a registered migration agent with OMARA. For paid preparation of, or advice on, an Australian application, check the OMARA register or use an Australian legal practitioner.

How do you apply, step by step?

Most of the work comes before the invitation. Tests and assessments take weeks, and every claim must be provable on the day you are invited.

1. 1

   Match your occupation and its list

   Compare your real duties with the occupations in LIN 19/051 and note which list yours sits on. That decides whether a 189 is open to you or whether you need state nomination for a 190 or 491.

2. 2

   Take an accepted English test

   Book IELTS, PTE Academic or another test named in the 2025 instrument, and aim for the level your points plan needs. You must reach the minimum in each component, and the test must be less than 3 years old at invitation.

3. 3

   Get your skills assessed

   Apply to the assessing authority named for your occupation, such as Engineers Australia or ACS, following its own document list for your degree, transcripts and employer references. Note the validity period in the outcome.

4. 4

   Count your points against Schedule 6D

   Claim only the points you can prove at the date of invitation. Check your age band, the 20-point cap on employment, and whether your partner adds points or none.

5. 5

   Lodge an expression of interest

   Create your EOI in SkillSelect and select the visas you want. For a 190 or 491, also follow the chosen state or territory’s own process and criteria on its official website.

6. 6

   Apply within the invitation period

   Once invited, lodge your application online within the period stated in the invitation, upload evidence for every claim, and pay the first instalment of the visa application charge.

7. 7

   Complete health and character checks

   Arrange police certificates from Pakistan and any other country the Department requires, complete any medical examinations it asks for, and reply to every request within the time given.

What goes wrong most often?

Ignoring age bands and the 45 limit

Age points fall from 30 to 25 at 33, and to 15 at 40. Turning 45 before an invitation ends the route. A 32-year-old who spends a year chasing 10 English points can lose 5 age points on the way.

Letting the test or assessment expire

English tests must be under 3 years old at invitation, and most assessments last 3 years. A long wait in the pool can let both lapse. Keep a calendar of every expiry date.

Claiming experience the assessor did not accept

An assessing authority may count only part of your work as skilled. Claiming 15 points for 96 months when your outcome supports fewer is a claim you cannot prove. Match your EOI to your assessment, payslips, contracts and tax records.

Paying for shortcuts

Sold invitations, sold nominations and invented letters all fail in the end. Under criterion 4020, a refusal for false information within the 3 years before a new application can sink that one too, even when an agent wrote the document.

Forgetting your partner

A partner adds 10 points, 5 or none, depending on age, assessment and English. An adult without functional English may also trigger a second instalment of AUD 4,885. Plan both before you lodge.

A realistic example

This is a hypothetical illustration, not a real client. Imagine Usman Tariq, 31, a software engineer from Lahore. He has a four-year computer science degree from an HEC-recognised university and 7 years with a software company. He is single.

• Month 1: he confirms that software engineer is on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List and that ACS assesses it.
• Months 2 and 3: he prepares for PTE Academic and scores 60, 62, 72 and 78, which meets proficient English.
• Month 4: ACS assesses his degree and experience. He claims employment points only for the years it and his records support, which here is at least 5 years.
• Month 5: he counts 30 for age, 15 for his degree, 10 for experience, 10 for English and 10 as a single applicant, making 75. He lodges an EOI for the 189 and, where states accept it, the 190.
• While waiting: he tracks his test and assessment expiry dates, knowing that turning 33 would cut his age points to 25.

His 75 is a place in a moving pool, not a promise of an invitation. I would also want him to keep other routes in view, such as the Germany Opportunity Card, so that Australia is one option rather than his only one.

The version that goes wrong

Now imagine Usman relies on a PTE result that is over 3 years old by the time invitations are issued. An agent in Lahore charges PKR 800,000 for a “state nomination slot” and drafts a letter adding 2 years at a company he left, to claim 15 points for 96 months. His English no longer counts, the slot does not exist, and the letter exposes him to refusal under criterion 4020.

Key takeaways

Frequently asked questions