How to Claim Partner Points for 189, 190 and 491 visa – Update 2026

When applying for Australian General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas—such as the Subclass 189, 190, or 491—every point counts.

Depending on your situation, you could claim an additional 5 to 10 Partner points depending on your relationship status and your partner’s qualifications. Here is a complete guide on how to calculate and claim partner points for your Australian skilled visa application.

1. Claiming Skilled Partner Points (10 Points)

You can claim a maximum of 10 extra Partner points if your spouse or de facto partner has the required age, English proficiency, and a suitable skills assessment.

To claim these 10 points, your partner MUST meet ALL of the following criteria at the time you are invited to apply for the visa:

• Age: They must be under 45 years old.
• English: They must have ‘Competent English’ (e.g., IELTS 6 in all bands).
• Visa Applicant: They must be included as an applicant for the same visa subclass as you, and they cannot already be an Australian citizen or Permanent Resident.
• Skills Assessment: They must have a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated occupation.
• Eligible Occupation List: Their occupation must be on the correct list for the visa you are applying for.

Understanding the Occupation Lists for Partner Points

The occupation lists (MLTSSL, STSOL, or ROL) are critical when claiming the 10 skill points. The list your partner’s occupation is on must align with the visa you are applying for:

• Subclass 491 (State Sponsored): Your partner’s occupation can be on any of the three lists (MLTSSL, STSOL, or ROL).
• Subclass 190 (State Sponsored): Your partner’s occupation must be on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) or Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skilled List (MLTSSL) list.
• Subclass 189 & Subclass 491 (Family Sponsored): Your partner’s occupation must be on the MLTSSL list.

Examples of Claiming 10 Points:

• Scenario A (189 Visa): You are an Accountant (MLTSSL) and your partner is a Chef (MLTSSL). Because both are on the MLTSSL, you can claim 10 points.
• Scenario B (189 Visa): You are an Accountant (MLTSSL) but your partner is an Cook (STSOL). You cannot claim 10 points because their occupation is not on the MLTSSL. However, if you applied for a 190 Visa instead, you could claim the 10 points!

2. Claiming 5 Points: Partner’s English Only

If your partner does not have a skills assessment (or their occupation is not on the right list), you can still claim 5 points if they can prove they have ‘Competent English’.

To claim these 5 points, your partner must be an applicant for the same visa, must not be an Australian citizen or PR, and must achieve one of the following minimum test scores in test on or after 7 August 2025:

3. Claiming 10 Points: Single or Australian Partner

You don’t need a skilled partner to get maximum points! You can automatically claim 10 points if:

• You are single (you do not have a spouse or de facto partner). or
• Your spouse or de facto partner is an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident.

Summary Table: Partner Points at a Glance

De Facto vs. Married Relationship

When completing your SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI), you must correctly declare your relationship status. Making a mistake here can result in an over-claim of points and a visa refusal.

• Married (Spouse): You are legally married under a marriage valid for the Migration Act, have a mutual commitment to a shared life excluding all others, live together (or don’t live separately on a permanent basis), and have a genuine relationship.
• De Facto: You are not legally married, but you meet all the same commitment and living requirements as a married couple. Note: Time spent “dating” or in an online relationship does not count as being De Facto.

A Warning on “Engaged” vs. “De Facto” in SkillSelect

If you select “Single” or “Engaged” in SkillSelect, the system will automatically award you 10 points. However, if you select “Married” or “De Facto,” it awards 0 points (until you input your partner’s skills/English).

If you are engaged but also living together in a de facto relationship, it is safer to select “De Facto.” If you claim 10 points as an “Engaged/Single” person but are found to be in a De Facto relationship at the time of your visa application, you will lose those 10 points and your visa could be refused.

Furthermore, for a visa application, a De Facto relationship generally must have existed for at least 12 months before applying (unless you have registered your relationship in an Australian state/territory).

Need Help Calculating Your Points?

The points test can be incredibly complex, especially when mixing and matching different occupation lists for you and your partner. Claiming points incorrectly on your EOI is one of the most common reasons for visa refusals.

At Migration Dreamz, we can assess both your profile and your partner’s profile to ensure you are maximizing every single point legally available to you.

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