Did Australia's Points Test Change on 1 July 2026? No — Here's What Actually Changed
The rumoured 1 July 2026 overhaul of Australia's skilled-migration points test has not been legislated. Here's what's actually law, what's only proposed, and why your English score is the one lever worth maxing either way.
Published 3 August 2026 · 7 min read · PTE Mocks editorial team
Quick answer
No. As of 1 July 2026, Australia has not legislated a new skilled-migration points test. The "new points test" doing the rounds traces back to the Department of Home Affairs' 2024 discussion paper and the 2026-27 Federal Budget's stated intention to "optimise" the points test. Those are proposals, not rules. The current grid still applies: minimum 65 points to be invited, and English is still worth up to 20 points. If anything, the proposals make your English score matter more. Last reviewed 3 August 2026.
What actually changed on 1 July 2026
Every July, Australia's migration settings get an update, so it is easy to assume the points test was rewritten too. For the 2026-27 program year, it was not. No new points grid has been registered in legislation. The points test that governed subclass 189, 190 and 491 invitations on 30 June 2026 is the same one that governs them today.
What genuinely moved on 1 July 2026 were income thresholds for employer-sponsored visas (the Core Skills and Specialist Skills salary floors were indexed upward), not the points test for the independent and state-nominated skilled visas. Those are two different systems, and the headlines blur them together. If your pathway is points-tested skilled migration, your score is calculated exactly as before.
So where did the "new points test" story come from? Two real, but not-yet-binding, sources: the Department's 2024 points test discussion paper, and the 2026-27 Federal Budget, which announced the government's intention to reform the points test. Intention is not law. (Sources: Department of Home Affairs; 2026-27 Federal Budget migration measures.)
What is only proposed (and could still change)
The reform ideas being discussed — none of them yet in force — point in a consistent direction: reward younger, higher-skilled applicants with stronger English. The three most-cited proposals are:
- Raise the entry floor from 65 to 70 points to submit an Expression of Interest. Today the minimum is still 65.
- Award points for a high Australian salary — for the first time, earning above a high income threshold could directly add points, rather than being invisible to the grid.
- Elevate English further. The Department has signalled that the ability to communicate in English is the single most important indicator in the skilled system, with Superior English continuing to carry its 20-point advantage.
Detailed grid changes have not been announced, and the government has said further updates will come before anything takes effect. Treat any specific "new points table" you see online as speculation until it appears in the Migration Regulations. (Source: Home Affairs points test discussion paper, 2024.)
Law vs proposed: the honest table
| Item | Status on 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Minimum points to be invited | 65 (law). 70 is proposed, not enacted. |
| English points (Competent / Proficient / Superior) | 0 / 10 / 20 — unchanged (law). |
| Points for a high Australian salary | Proposed only — not in the current grid. |
| Age, qualification, experience points | Unchanged (law). |
| New points grid | Not legislated. Intent stated in the 2026-27 Budget. |
Always confirm the live grid on the Department of Home Affairs points-test page before you lodge. This article is guidance, not migration advice.
Why English is the one lever worth maxing either way
Here is the strategic point that survives every version of the reform: English is the highest-controllable source of points in the entire grid. You cannot change your age. Your qualifications and work history are fixed. But your English score is entirely in your hands, and it is worth up to 20 points.
Under today's law, Superior English gives you 20 points; Proficient English gives you 10; Competent English gives you 0 (but is the minimum most visas require). That 20-point gap between Competent and Superior is often the difference between an invitation and years in the pool. And every proposal on the table makes English more central, not less — so maxing it now is a safe bet no matter which reform lands.
Both PTE Academic and IELTS earn the same points at the same English level, so the choice is about which test you can score highest on. See our PTE vs IELTS comparison and the full PTE scores for Australian PR breakdown.
What PTE score to target for the points you need
On PTE Academic, the three English levels map to clean score bands. To claim the points, you need the band in every one of the four skills — one weak skill drops you a whole level.
| English level | Points | PTE Academic score (each skill) |
|---|---|---|
| Competent | 0 (minimum to apply) | 50 |
| Proficient | 10 | 65 |
| Superior | 20 | 79 |
The move for most applicants is to aim for Superior (79 in each skill). It is the biggest single block of points you can add through effort, and it future-proofs you against a reform that raises the entry floor to 70. Our PTE Superior score guide and 79+ strategy break down exactly how to get there skill by skill.
How to prepare with us
Chasing Superior English is a per-skill problem, and the weak skill is almost always Speaking or Writing. A workable plan:
- Sit a full scored PTE Academic mock test in week one to see which skill is holding you below 79.
- Drill the highest-leverage tasks on the practice hub — Read Aloud and Describe Image for Speaking, essay structure for Writing.
- Re-sit a full mock every 10 to 14 days and check every skill clears 79, not just your average.
- Confirm the current points and English requirements on the PTE for Australian PR page and the Department of Home Affairs site before you book.
We are independent and not affiliated with Pearson or the Department of Home Affairs. Always confirm current points-test rules and English requirements on the official Home Affairs pages. Our methodology is in our editorial standards.
Frequently asked
Did Australia's points test change on 1 July 2026?
No. As of 1 July 2026, no new skilled-migration points test has been legislated. The points test that applied to subclass 189, 190 and 491 invitations before 1 July still applies. What changed on 1 July were employer-sponsored salary thresholds, which are a separate system from the points test.
What is the minimum points score to be invited in 2026?
The current minimum is 65 points to submit an Expression of Interest for a points-tested skilled visa. A proposal to raise this to 70 points has been discussed but is not law as of August 2026. In practice, competitive invitation rounds have often required well above the 65 minimum.
Is the 65 to 70 points change real?
It is a proposal, not a rule. Raising the Expression of Interest floor from 65 to 70 points was floated in the Department of Home Affairs' 2024 points test discussion paper and referenced around the 2026-27 Budget, but it has not been registered in the Migration Regulations. Until it is, 65 remains the minimum.
How many points is English worth for Australian PR?
Up to 20 points. Competent English earns 0 points (it is the minimum most visas require), Proficient English earns 10 points, and Superior English earns 20 points. English is the highest-controllable block of points in the grid, which is why it is usually the best place to focus.
What PTE Academic score gives Superior English (20 points)?
Superior English requires a PTE Academic score of 79 in each of the four skills — Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. You need 79 in every skill, not on average, so one weak skill drops you to Proficient. Superior English adds the maximum 20 points.
What PTE Academic score gives Proficient English (10 points)?
Proficient English requires a PTE Academic score of 65 in each of the four skills. It earns 10 points. Competent English, the usual minimum to apply, needs 50 in each skill and earns 0 points.
Does PTE or IELTS give more points for Australian migration?
Neither. The Department of Home Affairs awards the same migration points for PTE Academic and IELTS at the same English level. The decision is about which test you can score highest on, not which test the grid prefers. Many candidates find PTE's computer-based, AI-scored format easier to score Superior on.
Will earning a high salary give me points under the new rules?
It is a proposal, not current law. The reform ideas include awarding points for a high Australian salary above a defined income threshold for the first time. As of August 2026 this is not part of the points grid, so a high salary does not yet directly add points.
When will the new Australian points test start?
No start date has been set. The 2026-27 Federal Budget stated the government's intention to reform the points test, and further updates are expected before any change takes effect. Treat any specific date circulating online as speculation until it appears in the Migration Regulations.
Should I wait for the new points test before sitting PTE?
No. Waiting is the weaker play. Every proposed change makes English more important, and Superior English is worth 20 points under both the current grid and any likely reform. Scoring 79 in each skill now future-proofs your profile against a higher entry floor, and your result is valid for three years for Australian skilled migration.
How long is my PTE score valid for Australian migration?
Language test results are generally valid for three years for Australian skilled migration purposes, longer than the standard two years applied in some other contexts. Always confirm the current validity period on the Department of Home Affairs website before you lodge, as policies can change.
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