The Expression of Interest (EOI) is where every skilled migration journey to Australia begins. Lodged through SkillSelect, it costs nothing, takes roughly an hour to complete, and remains valid in the pool for two years. But don't let the simplicity fool you — this one document decides whether you're ever invited to apply for a skilled visa, and in 2026, hitting the 65-point floor is far from a guarantee.
Invitation figures back this up. In a June 2026 SkillSelect round, 10,000 invitations went out, with cut-off scores ranging from 65 points for a handful of trade occupations to as high as 100 for specialist medical professions. For engineers and most professional streams, a genuinely competitive score today sits closer to 85–90 points.
What Exactly Is an EOI?
An EOI is a formal statement lodged through SkillSelect signalling your interest in a skilled visa. It isn't a visa application — think of it more as putting your hand up and saying: here's what I bring, here's my background, here's my points score, please consider me.
There's no cost to lodge one. The Department of Home Affairs charges nothing at this stage; fees only apply once you've been invited and choose to proceed with a full application. Rather than working through EOIs in the order received, the government ranks all submissions by points score and issues invitations to the top performers during scheduled rounds.
No government fee for lodging an EOI
Entirely online via the SkillSelect portal
Stays active for two years from submission, then lapses automatically
Can be submitted for several visa subclasses and states at the same time
The EOI Process, Step by Step
Getting your EOI right the first time matters — errors can trigger a Fatal Error in SkillSelect, which may have lasting consequences for your application.
Step 1: Secure a positive outcome from your relevant assessing authority — Engineers Australia, ACS, VETASSESS, or TRA, depending on your occupation
Step 2: Complete an approved English test — IELTS, PTE Academic, or TOEFL — and have your results ready
Step 3: Set up a SkillSelect account with your email and personal details
Step 4: Fill in your EOI: personal information, nominated occupation, qualifications, work history, and English results
Step 5: Check the points score SkillSelect calculates automatically as you go, then submit
Step 6: Wait to be selected in an invitation round, or pursue state/territory nomination for an extra 5–15 points
One thing that trips up a lot of applicants: when two people in the same occupation are tied on points, whoever lodged first gets priority. This is the Date of Effect — and it's exactly why agents so often advise against sitting on an eligible EOI.
Mistakes That Derail SkillSelect Applications
Since 2026, the Department has been running more sophisticated automated cross-checks. Even small inconsistencies can now trigger a Fatal Error or see an invitation revoked under Public Interest Criterion 4020.
Claiming points for deducted experience — Authorities like ACS or Engineers Australia often subtract years to meet the "skilled" threshold. Your Deemed Skilled Date on the assessment must line up precisely with what you enter in your EOI
Leaving the EOI stale — Not updating it after a better English score, more experience, or a new qualification means points you've genuinely earned go unclaimed
Occupation mismatch — Nominating something that doesn't exactly match your positive skills assessment is one of the most frequent causes of failed applications
Overlooking regional options — Subclass 491 is often ignored despite better nomination odds and 15 bonus points, compared to just 5 for Subclass 190
Inaccurate or incomplete details — Even honest mistakes can result in disqualification under PIC 4020
Validity, Rounds, and the Date of Effect
An EOI sits in the SkillSelect pool for two years from lodgement. Miss out on an invitation in that window, and it simply expires — you'd need to start again if you're still eligible.
Subclass 189 rounds now run quarterly at the federal level, as of the 2025–26 program year
Subclass 190 and 491 nominations are handled independently by each state and territory, on their own timetables
You can keep active EOIs across all three subclasses at once — and even separate EOIs for different occupations if you hold multiple valid assessments
Once invited, you'll get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) by email and have 60 days to lodge your full application
The June 2026 round's 10,000 invitations reflect Australia's confirmed 185,000 permanent migration places for 2026–27, with a clear skew toward the skilled stream. Carpenters, nurses, engineers, and teachers all featured, with some trade occupations inviting from as low as 65 points.
2026 Points Test Reform: What's Changing
The May 2026 Federal Budget confirmed the first full rewrite of the points test since 2012. Consultation began in June 2026, draft legislation is due by December 2026, and the new system is expected to take effect from 1 July 2027 — with protections in place for anyone who already holds an invitation under current rules.
Age weighting — The 25–32 bracket currently earns maximum points; the reform may tilt further toward younger applicants
Australian work experience — Expect greater weight given to 1–3 years of local experience in your nominated occupation
Bonus points under review — Points for Australian study and Professional Year completion could be scaled back or reworked
Partner points — Likely to favour dual-income, skilled households more heavily
Until these changes formally come into effect, the existing points test still applies in full, and invitations already issued won't be affected. If you hold an active EOI — or plan to lodge one within the next year — this timing question is one of the most important decisions you'll face.
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