Skilled employment points, explained
Skilled employment points depend on the work actually performed, the applicable period and the points rules. Australian and overseas work are separate categories, with limits and conditions. A relevant job title or a positive skills assessment does not automatically make every year claimable.
Aarish Haider · Registered Migration Agent · MARN 2619656
Updated 2026-10-22 · General information · Official-source check 2026-10-22
Key facts
| Overseas skilled employment | Scored in bands; the specific point values are not restated here |
|---|---|
| Australian skilled employment | Scored separately, generally more generously than overseas experience |
| Skill-level relevance | Employment must genuinely match the skill level of the nominated occupation, not just be in a related field |
| Assessing authority deductions | Some assessing authorities deduct a period of experience before counting the remainder toward points |
Who this is relevant to
Applicants tallying their claimable employment history before lodging an Expression of Interest.
Requirements
Review whether the work is in the nominated or a closely related skilled occupation and meets the applicable employment requirements. Assessing-authority advice can be relevant evidence, but Home Affairs applies the visa points rules. Qualification and deemed-skilled dates, overlapping roles, part-time work and interruptions need careful treatment.
Process
- Build a dated timeline of duties, hours, location and payment for each role.
- Separate Australian and overseas periods and identify overlaps or interruptions.
- Compare the timeline with the assessment outcome and the operative points criteria.
- Claim only supported periods and keep the EOI current.
Evidence
Depending on the authority and visa requirements, useful records can include detailed employer references, contracts, payslips, tax and bank records and evidence supporting genuine self-employment. Documents should corroborate both duties and the period of work.
Common issues
An assessing body’s qualification assessment, optional employment service and a visa employment-points decision have different purposes. Do not assume one uniform deduction rule applies across occupations or count the same time twice.
Official sources
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