1. What is SkillSelect?
SkillSelect is the Department of Home Affairs' online expression of interest system for points-tested skilled migration. It replaced the previous first-come, first-served application model and introduced a merit-based queue where applicants compete for invitations based on their points score.
The system operates as a two-stage process:
- Stage 1 — Expression of Interest (EOI): You register your interest in a skilled visa by submitting an EOI. You are not lodging a visa application. No fee is paid. Your EOI sits in the pool and you are considered for invitation rounds.
- Stage 2 — Visa Application: If you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you then have 60 days to lodge a formal visa application with all supporting documents and pay the visa application charge.
SkillSelect allows the government to manage the volume of skilled visa applications, target specific occupations, and adjust migration settings dynamically across different occupation categories.
2. How to Submit an EOI
To submit an EOI in SkillSelect, you need a myGovID account (previously called myGov). The process involves:
- Personal details: Name, date of birth, country of citizenship, current country of residence.
- Occupation: Your nominated ANZSCO unit group and assessing authority.
- Skills assessment: Reference number and date of issue from your assessing authority.
- Points claimed: Each category of points must be selected accurately, as the system does not automatically verify claims — but DHA will verify them if you receive an invitation.
- Visa types: You can select 189, 190, and/or 491 simultaneously.
- English language: Test scores (IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, CAE) must be entered with reference numbers.
Accuracy is critical. Points claimed must be accurate and supportable by evidence. Overclaiming — even innocently — can result in visa refusal after invitation.
3. How Invitation Rounds Work
DHA conducts invitation rounds on a regular basis — typically monthly or more frequently for high-demand occupations. In each round, DHA sets a cut-off score for each occupation and invites the highest-scoring applicants down to that threshold.
Tie-Breaking
When multiple applicants have identical scores at the cut-off threshold, DHA uses the EOI submission date as a tie-breaker — earlier submissions are preferred. This makes early lodgement of your EOI (once all details are accurate and your skills assessment is valid) a practical advantage.
Occupation Ceilings
Each occupation has an annual ceiling — a maximum number of invitations that can be issued. When that ceiling is reached, no further invitations are issued for that occupation in that program year (July–June). In some high-supply occupations, the ceiling fills early in the program year.
This means that for competitive occupations, the effective window for receiving an invitation may be the first quarter of the program year. Applicants who have not received invitations by late in the year may need to wait for the following year's program.
4. What Affects Your Position in the Pool
Your position in the SkillSelect pool is determined by:
- Total points claimed: The primary ranking factor. Higher scores rank ahead of lower scores.
- EOI submission date: Used as a tie-breaker for equal scores. Earlier submission ranks ahead.
- Visa subclass selection: Your EOI can express interest in 189, 190, and 491 simultaneously. Being considered across multiple streams increases your chances.
- Occupation selection: Each ANZSCO unit group has separate rounds and ceilings. Your nominated occupation must match your skills assessment.
Note that state nomination itself is managed separately by state government systems. The state nominates you and notifies DHA, which then updates your EOI to reflect the 190 or 491 nomination. The points bonus applies from the date of nomination.
5. Managing Your EOI
An EOI remains valid for 2 years from the date of submission. During this time you should:
- Update your EOI promptly if your circumstances change — new qualifications, employment, English test results, or a change in marital or family status.
- Monitor your skills assessment expiry date. If it expires while your EOI is active, update the EOI with your new assessment reference as soon as available.
- Check the DHA website for invitation round outcomes — this shows the cut-off score and date for each occupation and helps you assess your position.
- Be aware that updating some fields may reset your submission date, affecting tie-breaking priority.
6. After You Receive an Invitation
When you receive an ITA (Invitation to Apply), you have exactly 60 days to lodge a complete visa application. This is a hard deadline — extensions are not granted.
In the 60-day window, you must:
- Pay the visa application charge (VAC) — typically $4,640+ for the primary applicant in 2026.
- Book and complete health examinations (chest x-ray and general health check) for all applicants over 11 years of age.
- Obtain police clearance certificates for all applicants who have lived in countries for 12+ months since age 16.
- Gather and certify all supporting documents — identity, qualifications, employment references, English test results, and financial evidence if required.
- Lodge the application online through ImmiAccount.
Starting these preparations before you receive an invitation — particularly health exams and police clearances — significantly reduces the pressure of the 60-day window.