Understanding Work Experience Points for the 189 Visa

The 189 Skilled Independent Visa is one of Australia's most popular permanent residency pathways. To qualify, you need to score at least 65 points under the SkillSelect points system. Work experience is one of the largest point contributors available, and understanding exactly how these points are calculated can make or break your application.

Work experience points reward you for paid employment in your nominated occupation or a closely related field. The Department of Home Affairs distinguishes between overseas employment and Australian employment, with Australian experience weighted more heavily. You can accumulate a maximum of 20 points from employment combined.

The key rule is simple: your work must be at least 20 hours per week of paid work, and it must fall within 10 years before your invitation is issued. This means older work experience does not count, even if you worked in your field for many years.

Overseas Work Experience Points

If you have worked outside Australia in your nominated occupation, you can claim points. Overseas employment is valued at a lower rate than Australian experience because the Department of Home Affairs prioritises filling skills gaps within Australia itself.

Here is how overseas work experience points are awarded:

  • 3 to 4 years of overseas employment: 5 points
  • 5 to 7 years of overseas employment: 10 points
  • 8 or more years of overseas employment: 15 points

Your overseas work must be in your nominated occupation or a closely related field. The Department of Home Affairs assesses whether your role aligns with the occupation you have nominated. For example, if you have nominated Software Engineer, work as a Systems Analyst or IT Project Manager may be considered closely related, but work as a Help Desk Technician might not be.

To claim overseas work experience, you must provide evidence such as employment contracts, payslips, tax returns, and a statutory declaration from your employer confirming your role, dates, and hours worked. If your employer is no longer in business or cannot provide a letter, a statutory declaration signed by you and witnessed by a notary or similar official is acceptable.

One common mistake is counting part-time work that falls below 20 hours per week. Even if you worked for many years, periods where you were below 20 hours per week do not count toward your points. You must calculate only the weeks where you met the 20-hour threshold.

Australian Work Experience Points

Australian employment is valued significantly higher than overseas work. This reflects the government's preference for skilled workers who have already demonstrated they can work successfully in the Australian labour market.

Australian work experience points are awarded as follows:

  • 1 to 2 years of Australian employment: 5 points
  • 3 to 4 years of Australian employment: 10 points
  • 5 to 7 years of Australian employment: 15 points
  • 8 or more years of Australian employment: 20 points

The same 20-hour-per-week rule applies. Your work must also be in your nominated occupation or closely related field. If you have been working in Australia on a student visa, skilled temporary visa, or working holiday visa, that employment counts toward your points.

Australian work experience is particularly valuable because it demonstrates you have already integrated into the local job market and understand Australian workplace practices. If you are currently working in Australia, you can include your recent employment in your application, provided your invitation is issued after you have completed the required period.

To claim Australian work experience, provide payslips, employment contracts, and a letter from your employer on company letterhead confirming your role, dates of employment, and hours worked per week. If your employer is unwilling or unable to provide a letter, you can use payslips and tax records (such as your Notice of Assessment from the ATO) as supporting evidence.

Combining Overseas and Australian Experience

You can claim points for both overseas and Australian work experience, but the total points awarded for employment cannot exceed 20 points. This means if you have 8 years of overseas work (15 points) and 3 years of Australian work (10 points), you do not receive 25 points. Instead, you receive the maximum of 20 points.

The Department of Home Affairs will award you the points that give you the highest total. In the example above, your 8 years overseas plus 3 years in Australia would be assessed, and you would receive 20 points (not 15 plus 10).

This is important when planning your application. If you are close to reaching a higher tier in Australian experience, it may be worth waiting a few months to accumulate more points before submitting your application. For instance, if you have 2 years and 11 months of Australian work, waiting one month to reach 3 years would increase your points from 5 to 10.

You cannot double-count the same period of employment. If you worked for a multinational company and were transferred from overseas to Australia, you count that as a continuous period. You do not split it into overseas and Australian segments.

Calculating Your Work Experience Points

To calculate your work experience points accurately, follow these steps:

  1. List all periods of paid employment in your nominated occupation or closely related field from the past 10 years.
  2. For each period, confirm the start date, end date, and hours worked per week.
  3. Exclude any weeks where you worked fewer than 20 hours per week.
  4. Separate your employment into overseas and Australian categories.
  5. Calculate the total years for each category (rounding down to the nearest full year).
  6. Assign points based on the tables above.
  7. If your combined points exceed 20, use 20 as your final score.

Be conservative in your calculations. If you are unsure whether a role is closely related to your nominated occupation, contact the Department of Home Affairs or seek advice from a registered migration agent. Overstating your work experience can lead to your application being refused and may affect your future visa applications.

The Department of Home Affairs may request evidence of your work experience at any time during the processing of your application. Having all documents ready before you apply will speed up the process. Typical processing times for 189 applications are 8 to 12 months, and incomplete evidence can cause delays.

Useful Official Sources

For the most current information about work experience points and the 189 visa, visit these official sources:

Frequently Asked Questions

How many points do I get for 5 years of work experience in Australia?

If you have 5 to 7 years of Australian work experience in your nominated occupation, you receive 15 points. The work must be at least 20 hours per week and within the past 10 years.

Can I count part-time work toward my 189 visa work experience points?

Only if it is at least 20 hours per week. Any weeks where you worked fewer than 20 hours do not count toward your points, even if you worked part-time for many years.

What is the maximum work experience points I can claim for the 189 visa?

The maximum is 20 points, regardless of whether you combine overseas and Australian employment. If your combined experience would give you more than 20 points, you still only receive 20.

Do I need to work in my nominated occupation to claim work experience points?

Your work must be in your nominated occupation or a closely related field. The Department of Home Affairs assesses whether your role is closely related based on the job duties and skills required.

How far back can I count work experience for the 189 visa?

You can only count work experience from the past 10 years before your invitation is issued. Work older than 10 years does not count, even if it was in your nominated occupation.

Is Australian work experience worth more points than overseas work?

Yes. Australian employment is weighted more heavily: 8+ years gives 20 points, while 8+ years of overseas work gives only 15 points. This reflects the government's preference for workers with Australian labour market experience.

What documents do I need to prove my work experience for the 189 visa?

Provide employment contracts, payslips, tax records, and a letter from your employer on company letterhead confirming your role, dates, and hours worked per week. If your employer cannot provide a letter, a statutory declaration may be acceptable.

Can I include work experience from my student visa in my 189 application?

Yes. Work experience gained while on a student visa, skilled temporary visa, or working holiday visa counts toward your Australian employment points if it meets the 20-hour-per-week requirement and is in your nominated occupation.

This is general information only. It is not legal, migration, financial, tax, medical, or professional advice. Always check official sources before acting.