Age points for PR in Australia: the bands and the age limit
Settledin Team3 min readOn the 189, 190 and 491 points tables, Home Affairs gives 30 points for age 25 to 32, 25 points for 18 to 24 and for 33 to 39, and 15 points for 40 to 44. Nothing is listed for age 45 or over. Home Affairs says a person must be under 45 when it invites them to apply.
Points and age rules checked against Home Affairs on 10 November 2026.
How many points does age add on the points test?
Age is one category in the points table, and the table is the same for three visas: the 189 Skilled Independent (updated 4 November 2026), the 190 Skilled Nominated and the 491 Skilled Work Regional (both updated 16 July 2026).
The age category runs from 15 to 30 points. In the same table, English adds 0, 10 or 20 points.
Which age bands are there?
Home Affairs words each band as "at least X but less than Y years":
| Age | Points |
|---|---|
| At least 18 but less than 25 years | 25 |
| At least 25 but less than 33 years | 30 |
| At least 33 but less than 40 years | 25 |
| At least 40 but less than 45 years | 15 |
So the bands change on a person's 25th, 33rd, 40th and 45th birthdays. The table does not list points for anyone under 18 or aged 45 or over.
At what age is a skilled visa invitation no longer possible?
For the 189 and the 190, Home Affairs' visa pages say: "You must be aged under 45 when we invite you to apply for the visa." (189 page, updated 5 November 2026; 190 page, updated 2 November 2026.)
Both pages add two more points about timing:
- A person can still apply for the visa if they turn 45 after Home Affairs invites them to apply.
- A person who turns 45 after submitting an expression of interest (EOI) but before being invited will not be invited to apply.
The 491 points table uses the same age bands. This post does not quote a separate age sentence for the 491, because that page's wording could not be confirmed here. The 491 visa page covers the visa itself.
Is age counted at the EOI or at the invitation?
Home Affairs ties the age limit to the invitation, as the sentences above show. The 189 points table also says that a person must "satisfy most criteria specified in the points test at the time of invitation".
An EOI stays in SkillSelect for a period of time before an invitation. EOI validity and updating describes how long an EOI stays in the system. What happens between submitting and being invited is covered in EOI submitted but not invited yet, and what follows an invitation is in what happens after a SkillSelect invitation.
What happens to age points at 33, 40 and 45?
Reading the table as published:
| Birthday | Band before | Band after | Change in age points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | 25 | 30 | +5 |
| 33rd | 30 | 25 | −5 |
| 40th | 25 | 15 | −10 |
| 45th | 15 | none listed | Not invited to apply (189 and 190 pages) |
These changes follow from the bands in the points table. Home Affairs sets the age by the date of invitation, so the table is the place to read which band applies on that date.
Do state nominations have their own age rules?
Home Affairs' points tables describe federal points only. For the 190 and 491, each state and territory sets its own nomination criteria, so any age wording comes from the state's own page. Settledin's state nomination tracker links the state posts together. This post does not list state age rules, because it only covers wording confirmed on Home Affairs pages.
Where is age shown in the EOI?
Home Affairs' pages say that when an EOI is submitted in SkillSelect, the person is given an indicative points score based on the claims made. The pages do not describe the age screen in detail, so this post does not either. The PR points test post covers the whole table, including how the pass mark of 65 works.
FAQ
What is the maximum age for PR on points?
For the 189 and 190, Home Affairs says a person must be under 45 when invited to apply.
How many points is age 25 to 32 worth?
30 points, the highest age band on the 189, 190 and 491 points tables.
Does age change after the EOI is submitted?
Home Affairs' age bands are by years of age, so the band moves on a birthday. Home Affairs ties the age limit to the date of invitation.
Do age points apply to the 491?
Yes. The 491 points table lists the same four age bands.
Where does Home Affairs publish the points table?
On each visa's points table page, linked above. Each page shows a last updated date at the bottom.
Settledin adds up an indicative points total from the official points table, including the age bands above.
Work out your indicative points
To see how these visas work, read the 189 Skilled Independent and 190 Skilled Nominated pages, or the PR points calculator.
This article describes published Department of Home Affairs rules, checked on 10 November 2026. It is general information, not migration advice. For advice on your situation, speak to a registered migration agent. Check the register.