Partner skills points: how to claim 5 or 10 points in 2026

Partner skills points can be the difference between sitting in the SkillSelect queue and receiving an invitation. The points test awards either 5 or 10 extra points depending on your partner's age, English ability, and skills assessment — or 10 points if you are applying as a single applicant or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Understanding the exact requirements before you submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) saves you from claiming points you are not entitled to.

What are partner skills points?

The Australian skilled migration points test includes a category called "Spouse or de facto partner skills". It awards bonus points based on your partner's credentials at the time you are invited to apply — not at the time you lodge your visa application. There are two possible scores in this category:

• 10 points — awarded if you have no accompanying partner, or if your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
• 5 points — awarded if your partner meets three specific criteria simultaneously: they are under 45, have at least competent English, and hold a suitable skills assessment for a nominated occupation on an eligible skilled occupation list.
• 0 points — awarded if your partner does not meet the 5-point criteria.

These points apply to the Subclass 189, Subclass 190, and Subclass 491 points-tested visas.

How the 5-point and 10-point claims work

The 10-point claim: no partner or partner is a citizen/PR

If you are applying as a single person with no accompanying partner, you receive 10 points automatically. The same applies if your partner holds Australian citizenship or permanent residence — they do not need a skills assessment or English test. This is often overlooked: migrants who partner with Australian citizens or PRs are frequently entitled to the full 10 points.

The 5-point claim: partner skills assessment pathway

This is where most EOIs go wrong. Your partner must satisfy all three of the following at the time you receive your invitation to apply:

1. Under 45 years of age — your partner's age is assessed at invitation, not at EOI submission.
2. Competent English — the minimum standard, which generally means an overall IELTS band of 6 (or equivalent in PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1, or OET). A partner who is a native English speaker from an exempt country may also satisfy this, but check the current Home Affairs guidance for the exact list.
3. Suitable skills assessment — your partner must have received a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for an occupation on a skilled occupation list at the time of invitation. The assessment must not be expired.

All three criteria must be met at the same time. A partner who is 44 with competent English but no skills assessment scores 0, not 5.

Timing is critical

The Department of Home Affairs assesses your points at the date of invitation — the moment you are invited to apply, not when you lodge. If your partner's skills assessment expires between your EOI submission and your invitation date, you lose those 5 points. Equally, if your partner turns 45 in that window, you drop to 0. Many applicants submit an EOI with 5 partner points claimed and then receive an invitation after their partner's assessment or age threshold has lapsed.

For a deeper look at how EOI ranking and invitation timing interact, see How SkillSelect EOI ranking actually works in 2026.

Who this affects and common scenarios

Scenario 1: partner has no skills assessment

A software engineer submits an EOI with a spouse who has competent English and is 38. The spouse has never obtained a skills assessment. The claim for partner skills points is 0 — English alone is not enough. The couple should either pursue a skills assessment for the spouse before the invitation is issued, or accept 0 points in this category and consider whether the overall score is still competitive.

Scenario 2: partner's assessment is for an occupation not on an eligible list

Eligible occupation lists have changed over time. A partner holding a positive skills assessment for an occupation that is no longer on an eligible skilled occupation list at the time of invitation will not satisfy the criterion, even if the assessment itself is valid and current. Always verify the occupation remains listed at invitation date.

Scenario 3: partner is an Australian PR

The applicant's partner obtained permanent residence through an earlier employer-sponsored pathway. The applicant automatically claims 10 points in this category — no English test, no skills assessment, no age check required for the partner. This is the cleanest scenario and worth confirming early in your EOI strategy.

Scenario 4: de facto partners

De facto relationships are treated the same as registered marriages for points purposes, but you need to be able to demonstrate the relationship is genuine and has been ongoing for the required period. The Department will assess this at the visa application stage, but the points are claimed at EOI stage. If your de facto relationship cannot be substantiated, do not claim partner points — incorrect claims can raise character and integrity issues.

You can track how points cutoffs shift across different occupations and invitation rounds using the Migrant Hub occupation rankings dashboard, which shows where each occupation sits relative to current invitation thresholds.

Scenario 5: partner applies separately for a partner visa

Some couples consider whether the primary applicant should claim the 10 points (as a "single" applicant) while the partner applies for a Partner (Subclass 820/801) or Partner (Subclass 309/100) visa after the skilled visa is granted. This strategy exists and has been used, but it carries significant risk and complexity — the couples must meet the legal definition of not being in a de facto relationship at the time of the skilled visa application, which is rarely the case for genuine couples. This is not a strategy to pursue without specialist legal advice from a MARA-registered agent.

Key pitfalls to avoid

• Claiming 5 points when your partner's assessment expires before invitation. Assess the likely wait time in your occupation and account for assessment validity periods — most assessments are valid for three years but this varies by authority.
• Claiming partner points for a partner who does not intend to migrate. Your partner must be your accompanying partner on the skilled visa application. A partner who is not listed on the application may not be counted.
• Assuming native English speakers always satisfy the English requirement. The exemption applies to nationals of specific countries. If your partner is from a country not on the exempt list, they need a test result even if they are a fluent English speaker.
• Not updating your EOI when your partner's situation changes. If you submitted with 0 partner points and your partner subsequently receives a skills assessment, update your EOI. The date of effect (DOE) — the timestamp that determines your queue position when points are tied — resets on any update. Weigh the points gain against the DOE reset before making changes. For more on how DOE affects your ranking, see Date of effect (DOE): what it is and why it matters for your EOI (2026).

Common questions

Do partner skills points apply to employer-sponsored visas like the 482?

No. The partner skills points category applies only to points-tested skilled visas — primarily the Subclass 189, 190, and 491. Employer-sponsored pathways such as the Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482) do not use the points test at all, so partner skills are irrelevant to that visa stream.

What English test score does my partner need to claim the 5 points?

Your partner needs to demonstrate at least competent English. For IELTS, that is generally an overall band of 6 with no component below a specified threshold. Equivalent scores apply for PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced, and OET. Check the Department of Home Affairs website for the current minimum scores for each test, as these can be updated.

If my partner gets their skills assessment after I submit my EOI, can I update the claim?

Yes. You can update your EOI in SkillSelect to claim partner points once the skills assessment is in hand. Be aware that updating your EOI resets your date of effect, which affects your queue position if your score ties with other applicants. Weigh the 5-point gain against the DOE reset based on your occupation's current invitation trends before updating.

Does my partner need to be assessed in the same occupation as me?

No. Your partner's skills assessment can be for any occupation on an eligible skilled occupation list — it does not need to match your nominated occupation. The requirement is that the occupation is on a relevant list at the time you are invited, not at the time the assessment was obtained.

What happens if I incorrectly claim partner skills points?

Claiming points you are not entitled to constitutes a false declaration in your EOI. If discovered, the Department can refuse the visa application and may also bar future applications. Always verify each criterion is genuinely met before claiming partner skills points.

Where to go next

See how partner points and other score factors stack up against current invitation cutoffs for your occupation on the Migrant Hub occupation rankings dashboard.