Partner points for Australia are a factor often overlooked but can help increase your score significantly. Understanding this helps you take advantage of it if you have a partner. This article explains partner points for Australia and the various cases.
What are partner points for Australia
In Australia’s skilled settlement points system, a candidate with a partner (spouse or de facto partner) may be awarded bonus points in some cases. This is a factor that many candidates overlook, even though it can contribute a useful amount to the total score.
Partner points for Australia reflect the fact that the system also considers the partner’s profile, not just the primary candidate. Therefore, for couples migrating together, considering partner points is an important step in optimizing the total score of the application.
Cases eligible for bonus points
There are several cases related to partner points. A higher score usually applies when the partner meets conditions such as: being within the required age range, having English proficiency at the required level, being on the same visa category, and having a positive skills assessment for a suitable occupation.
Some other cases also earn points, for example when the candidate is single, or when the partner is an Australian citizen/permanent resident. In addition, cases where the partner only meets the required English level (without meeting the other conditions) may earn a lower number of points. You need to determine which case applies to you.
Making use of partner points
To make use of partner points for Australia, couples should: check whether their partner meets the conditions for a high score (age, English, skills assessment), consider investing in helping the partner meet the conditions if they are close to qualifying, and determine which case applies. This is an optimization avenue that is often overlooked.
You should refer to skilled settlement points table and SkillSelect to learn about the current cases for partner points.
Summary
Partner points for Australia can significantly increase your score in some cases: a high score when the partner meets the conditions (age, English, same category, positive skills assessment); points are also awarded when single or when the partner is a citizen/permanent resident; a lower score if the partner only meets the required English level. You should determine your case and consider investing in helping your partner meet the conditions.
