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New Points System Australia: Skilled Engineers

Skilled migrants continue to be drawn to Australia, especially skilled engineers, IT professionals, health care workers and other qualified migrants. But getting to know about the New Points System Australia is crucial before embarking on the migration journey. Skilled migration in Australia is based on a points-based selection process which attracts skilled workers who are able to make a valuable contribution to the nation’s economy and workforce.

Understanding the New Points System Australia is key to better chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) whether you’re preparing your Competency Demonstration Report (CDR), an IT professional applying through ACS, or another skilled worker looking to secure permanent residency.

New Points System Australia

What is the New Points System Australia?

Australian Government’s merit-based assessment process for applicants seeking to apply under the skilled migration visa programs is the New Points System Australia. Australia does not choose candidates on a first-come, first-served basis, but rather gives candidates points for the following:

  • Age
  • English language proficiency
  • Educational qualifications
  • Skilled employment experience
  • Australian study
  • State nomination
  • Partner skills
  • Regional study
  • Community language qualifications

Applicants need to obtain the minimum required score to receive an invitation to apply for skilled migration visas.

Why Was the Australian Points System Updated?

Australia’s migration policies are regularly revised to reflect the evolving labour market needs.

In the recent changes, it is intended to:

  • Hire in shorter time.
  • Focus on highly skilled professionals
  • Support regional development
  • Encourage younger skilled migrants to take up employment.
  • Improve workforce quality
  • Attract skilled engineers and technical staff members

These updates are great for engineers, particularly civil, mechanical, electrical, mining, software, environmental and structural engineering.

Minimum Points Required

At present, the skill migration visa program requires applicants to achieve at least 65 points.

But a player reaching 65 points will not necessarily be invited.

In fact, competitive jobs typically demand:

Occupations Demand

Competitive Score

Moderate Demand

70โ€“75 Points

High Demand

80โ€“90 Points

Highly Competitive Occupations

90-100+ Points

The more points you get, the more likely you are to get an invite.

Sample Points Calculation

Let’s consider an example.

Applicant Profile

  • Age: 29
  • Bachelor’s Degree
  • IELTS Superior English
  • Five years overseas experience
  • Single
  • State Nomination (Subclass 190)

Points:

Category

Points

Age

30

Bachelor’s Degree

15

Superior English

20

Overseas Experience

10

Single

10

State Nomination

15

Total = 100 Points

Many engineering careers require high scores of 100 points.

Importance of Skills Assessment

Applicants will need a positive skills assessment before they receive any qualifications and experience points.

Assessing authorities vary according to the field of profession.

Examples include:

  • Engineers โ†’ Engineers Australia
  • IT Professionals โ†’ ACS
  • Accountants โ†’ CPA Australia
  • Architects โ†’ AACA

A well-written Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) is key for engineers to have a positive assessment.

Importance of Skills Assessment

Skilled Migration Visas Using the Points System

The Australian points system is mainly used for the following visas:

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

  • No sponsorship required
  • Permanent residency
  • Invitation based

Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)

  • Requires state nomination
  • Permanent residency
  • Additional nomination points

Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491)

  • The applicant can apply under the following categories: regional nomination or family sponsorship
  • Additional points
  • Pathway to permanent residency

Tips to Increase Your Points

If you don’t meet the competency level, try out these tips.

Improve English Test Scores

Superscoring your English will give you an additional 20 points.

Gain Additional Work Experience

The more years of relevant experience, the higher your score will be.

Apply for State Nomination

Numerous states routinely recruit engineers from elsewhere because they are in need of workers.

Complete a Professional Year

A Professional Year is a highly effective way for engineering graduates to earn points.

Learn a Community Language

NAATI accreditation offers additional points and improved employment prospects.

Include Partner Skills

If you are eligible, your spouse or partner can add more points.

Common Mistakes Applicants Make

Many applicants lose points on their application due to:

  • Provide wrong work history.
  • Miscalculate age eligibility.
  • Deliver partially fulfilled skills assessments.
  • Draw from out-of-date English assessments.
  • Turn down a State nomination opportunity.
  • Ignore the Professional Years qualification.
  • Not document the employment of an employee properly.

A professional can make sure you don’t make costly mistakes.

Common Mistakes Applicants Make

Why Engineers Should Understand the New Points System Australia

Engineering is still one of Australia’s most sought-after careers.

Occupations including:

  • Civil Engineer
  • Mechanical Engineer
  • Electrical Engineer
  • Environmental Engineer
  • Mining Engineer
  • Structural Engineer
  • Software Engineer
  • Chemical Engineer

Often make it onto skilled occupation lists.

Having a strong points score and a positive Engineers Australia skills assessment increases chances of migration success.

soft skills for migrant engineers

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CDR reports, resumes, VETASSESS, and RPL applications can be challenging to prepare. Our team of professionals has effectively helped clients obtain approval with professional services that address all of these needs.

How CDR Writers Can Help

The technicalities of completing Engineers Australia’s skills assessment are a difficult hurdle to overcome, even if the New Points System Australia isn’t.

CDR Writers experienced team helps engineers in:

  • Competency Demonstration Reports (CDR)
  • Career Episodes
  • Summary Statements
  • Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
  • RPL Reports
  • ACS Documentation Support
  • Migration Documentation Guidance
  • Technical Resume Preparation

Our experts assist applicants with preparing well-documented submissions for successful migration.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum score under the New Points System Australia?

The basic score to qualify is 65, but applicants with higher scores are generally invited depending on the demand in terms of job opportunities.

Skilled migration visas (Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent), Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) and Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional)) use a points system.

Higher grades are available by achieving Superior English, adding extra skilled work experience, achieving state nomination, completing a Professional Year, or adding relevant partner skills, as applicable.

Yes. Your engineering skills and work experience will count towards your engineering qualifications and work experience, and you will need to have a positive skills assessment when applying under the skilled migration programs from Engineers Australia.

Not always. This is considered the minimum required for eligibility, but for certain engineering careers, 80 points or higher are required because they are highly competitive.