Australia’s skilled visas are open to every nationality, and work experience gained in the UAE counts towards them. The hard part in 2026 is not eligibility. It is competition: most permanent places this year are planned for people already in Australia, and invitation scores for many occupations are well above the minimum. This guide explains the three main skilled visas, how the points test works, what it costs, and how to prepare the UAE documents that skills assessors and Home Affairs ask for.
Checked on 5 October 2026 against the Department of Home Affairs and published SkillSelect results. Sources are listed at the end. Fees, invitation scores and planning levels change, so confirm on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you pay.
On this page
- The 2026 reality for applicants in the UAE
- What your passport decides and what your UAE residence changes
- The three skilled visas: 189, 190 and 491
- Basic eligibility
- The points test
- Invitation scores in 2026
- English tests you can take in the UAE
- What it costs
- Step by step from the UAE
- UAE documents that cause delays
- Points test changes coming
- Mistakes and scams
- Questions people ask
The 2026 reality for applicants in the UAE
Australia plans 185,000 permanent visa places for 2026–27. More than 70% are in the skilled stream. But roughly 129,590 places are planned for people already in Australia, which leaves about 55,110 for applicants overseas, including you.
The places for the visas most UAE residents use did grow this year:
| Category | 2025–26 | 2026–27 |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Independent (189) | 16,900 | 21,090 |
| State or Territory Nominated (190) | 33,000 | 35,500 |
| Regional (491 and others) | 33,000 | 14,110 |
Read this before you spend money. Reaching 65 points makes you eligible to be invited. It does not make you likely to be invited. Check the recent invitation scores for your occupation first. If your occupation was invited at 85 or 90 points and you have 70, plan how to raise your score or look at state nomination before paying for anything else.
What your passport decides and what your UAE residence changes
| Decided by | What it affects |
|---|---|
| Your passport | Not eligibility. Skilled visas have no nationality list. Holders of UK, US, Canadian, New Zealand and Irish passports may not need a test to show basic English, but still need a test to claim English points. Your passport also decides which home-country police certificate you need. |
| Your UAE residence | You apply from outside Australia, in the smaller offshore share of places. Many state nomination programs prefer or only accept people already living in that state. You need a UAE police certificate, a health exam with an approved doctor in the UAE, and UAE employment evidence for your skills assessment. |
| Your occupation, age, English and experience | Your points and your chance of an invitation. This is where your effort should go. |
The three skilled visas: 189, 190 and 491
- Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189). Permanent from day one. No sponsor needed. You compete directly on points in national invitation rounds.
- Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190). Permanent from day one. A state or territory must nominate you, which adds 5 points. You usually commit to living in that state at first.
- Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491). A provisional visa for up to five years. A state, territory or eligible relative in a regional area sponsors you, which adds 15 points. It can lead to permanent residence later through a separate visa if you meet income and residence conditions. Places for this category were cut sharply in 2026–27.
There is also the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), which now has the largest share of skilled places. It needs an Australian employer to sponsor you, and most people reach it after working in Australia on a temporary work visa, so it is rarely a direct route from the UAE.
Basic eligibility
For the 189, 190 and 491 visas you must:
- Be under 45 when you are invited to apply.
- Have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list for the visa or state.
- Have a positive skills assessment for that occupation from the assessing body named for it.
- Have at least competent English.
- Score at least 65 points on the points test.
- Be invited through SkillSelect.
- Meet health and character requirements, including police certificates.
Skills assessment
Each occupation has one assessing body. Examples include Engineers Australia for engineers, the Australian Computer Society (ACS) for IT jobs, ANMAC for nurses, VETASSESS for many professional jobs and Trades Recognition Australia for trades. Find yours by searching your occupation on the Home Affairs website.
The assessor checks your qualifications and your work experience. Some assessors only count experience after a certain date or deduct years to account for when you became skilled, so not all your years in the UAE may count for points. Read your assessment result carefully before claiming experience points.
The points test
These are the main points factors under the current test. Points are claimed in your Expression of Interest (EOI) and must be proven with documents if you are invited.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Age 18–24 | 25 |
| Age 25–32 | 30 |
| Age 33–39 | 25 |
| Age 40–44 | 15 |
| Proficient English | 10 |
| Superior English | 20 |
| Skilled work outside Australia, 3 to under 5 years | 5 |
| Skilled work outside Australia, 5 to under 8 years | 10 |
| Skilled work outside Australia, 8 years or more | 15 |
| Doctorate | 20 |
| Bachelor or master’s degree | 15 |
| Diploma or trade qualification | 10 |
| Single, or partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident | 10 |
| Partner with skills assessment and competent English | 10 |
| Partner with competent English only | 5 |
| State nomination (190) | 5 |
| State or family regional sponsorship (491) | 15 |
Other points exist for study in Australia, a professional year in Australia and accredited community language skills, but they rarely apply to people who have only lived in the UAE.
Example: a 30-year-old engineer in Dubai with a bachelor’s degree, 6 years of assessed skilled experience, proficient English and a partner with competent English scores 30 + 15 + 10 + 10 + 5 = 70 points. Raising English to superior adds 10 more, to 80. For most people outside Australia, English is the factor they can improve most quickly.
Invitation scores in 2026
Home Affairs invites the highest-ranked EOIs in each occupation. If two people have the same score, the one who lodged the EOI earlier wins.
In the round held on 4 June 2026, Home Affairs issued 10,000 invitations for the 189 visa. The lowest score invited varied by occupation, from 65 to 100 points:
- 65 points: several construction trades, such as carpenters, electricians, plumbers and bricklayers
- 75 points: many healthcare jobs, including registered nurses in several specialties, physiotherapists and general practitioners
- 80 to 85 points: many professional and engineering jobs
- 90 to 95 points: some science, statistics and electronics or telecommunications engineering jobs
Rounds are not held monthly. Home Affairs said the next 189 round would be held by 30 September 2026. Check the SkillSelect invitation rounds page for the latest results before you plan.
State nomination (190 and 491)
Each state and territory runs its own program, with its own occupation list, rules and opening dates. Some programs only nominate people who already live and work in that state. Others have offshore streams for specific occupations, often healthcare, teaching and trades. Check each state’s official migration website. Do not pay anyone who says they can get you a state nomination: states decide this themselves.
English tests you can take in the UAE
From 7 August 2025, Home Affairs accepts these tests: IELTS Academic, IELTS General Training, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, CELPIP General, LANGUAGECERT Academic, Michigan English Test, OET and Cambridge English tests.
- Competent English on IELTS is at least 6 in each of the four parts.
- PTE Academic scores changed. For tests taken from 7 August 2025, the competent level is 47 listening, 48 reading, 51 writing and 54 speaking. Older score tables online are wrong for new tests.
- Results from tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 can be used until 6 August 2028.
Applying to both Canada and Australia? IELTS General Training is accepted by both countries. Canada does not accept IELTS Academic or PTE Academic for Express Entry, and Australia does not accept Canada’s PTE Core. If you may apply to both, IELTS General Training avoids paying for two tests. See our Canada PR from the UAE guide.
What it costs
Home Affairs visa application charges from 1 July 2026:
| Visa | Main applicant (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Skilled Independent (189) | 6,135 |
| Skilled Nominated (190) | 6,140 |
| Skilled Work Regional (491) | 6,140 |
These charges rose about 25% on 1 July 2026. For a 189 application, each additional adult adds about AUD 3,070 and each child under 18 about AUD 1,535. Use the Visa Pricing Estimator on the Home Affairs website for your exact total. Paying by card adds a surcharge. The charge is normally not refunded if you are refused.
Other costs:
- Skills assessment fee, which varies by assessing body
- English test fee
- Health exam with an approved doctor in the UAE
- UAE police certificate, plus police certificates from other countries
- State nomination fee, if your chosen state charges one
- Certified translations, if any document is not in English
Step by step from the UAE
- Find your occupation and assessing body on the Home Affairs website. Check which visas and states list your occupation.
- Check recent invitation scores for your occupation. Be honest about the gap.
- Take an approved English test. Aim for proficient or superior if you can.
- Apply for your skills assessment. This often takes the longest, so start early.
- Calculate your points using only what your documents and assessment support.
- Lodge an EOI in SkillSelect. It is free. Select the visas you want to be considered for, and states if you want nomination. Lodge as soon as you are eligible, because earlier EOIs win ties.
- Apply for state nomination separately, if the state requires it.
- Collect documents while you wait: police certificates, reference letters and identity documents.
- Receive an invitation. You have 60 days to lodge your visa application in ImmiAccount.
- Lodge and pay. Every claim must match your EOI and be supported by documents.
- Do your health exam with an approved panel doctor in the UAE when asked, and give biometrics if asked.
- Receive your visa grant. The grant letter gives a date by which you must first enter Australia.
UAE documents that cause delays
Employment evidence
Skills assessors and Home Affairs want proof that you did skilled work, paid and full-time. A standard UAE salary certificate or experience certificate is not enough on its own. You will usually need:
- A reference letter from each employer, on letterhead, signed, with contact details, your job title, duties, full-time hours, salary and exact dates
- Your employment contract, including your MOHRE labour contract
- Payslips and bank statements that show your salary arriving each month
Salary paid through the UAE Wage Protection System (WPS) is useful, because your bank statements show regular transfers from your employer. If you were ever paid in cash, collect other proof. Make sure the duties in your letter match the occupation you claim.
See our guide to UAE bank statements for how to get stamped statements from UAE banks.
Police certificates
You and family members aged 16 or older usually need a police certificate from each country where you have lived for 12 months or more in total over the last 10 years. That usually means the UAE and your home country. The UAE issues these through the Ministry of Interior and emirate police services. Choose immigration or overseas use as the purpose.
Get the UAE certificate while you live here. Applying from outside the UAE later is slower. But do not get it too early: Home Affairs may ask for a newer one if yours is old. Wait until you have an invitation or until Home Affairs asks.
Health exam
Health exams must be done by a panel doctor approved by Home Affairs. Find the current list of approved clinics in the UAE on the Home Affairs website. Reports from other clinics are not accepted.
Points test changes coming
In the May 2026 Budget, the Australian Government said it will reform the points test to favour younger, better-educated and higher-skilled applicants with stronger English. The reformed test is indicated to start from 1 July 2027, after consultation and draft legislation.
This is not law yet. Until new rules are made, the current points test above applies. If you are close to 40, or your English is only at the competent level, the change may make your position weaker later, so it is worth acting sooner rather than later.
Mistakes and scams
- Claiming points you cannot prove. If your visa application shows fewer points than your EOI, it can be refused. False claims can lead to a ban.
- Counting all your UAE years before the skills assessment. The assessor may count fewer years than you expect.
- Using old PTE score tables. The required PTE scores changed for tests taken from 7 August 2025.
- Turning 45 before an invitation. Age is checked on the invitation date.
- Paying for a state nomination or job offer. States nominate people themselves, and buying a job offer is fraud.
- Resigning in the UAE too early. Wait until you have a visa grant.
- Using unregistered agents. You can apply yourself. If you pay for advice, check that the person is a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner.
Questions people ask
Can I apply for Australia PR from Dubai?
Yes. The 189, 190 and 491 visas can be applied for from outside Australia. In 2026–27 most permanent places are planned for people already in Australia, so applicants overseas face more competition.
Does UAE work experience count for Australia PR?
Yes, as skilled experience outside Australia, if your skills assessment accepts it. It can give up to 15 points. The assessor may not count every year you worked.
How many points do I need for Australia PR in 2026?
The minimum is 65, but the score actually invited depends on your occupation. In the June 2026 round it ranged from 65 for some trades to 100 for one medical specialty, with many professional jobs at 80 or more.
How much does Australia PR cost from the UAE?
The 189 visa costs AUD 6,135 for the main applicant from 1 July 2026, plus charges for family members, the skills assessment, English test, health exam and police certificates.
Does my nationality affect Australia PR?
Not for eligibility. Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian and other passport holders use the same points test and the same rules.
Is Australia or Canada easier from the UAE?
It depends on your occupation, age and English. Both countries now favour people already living there. Australia gives a clear invitation score for each occupation. Canada mostly invites through categories such as healthcare, trades and French. Many people prepare for both using IELTS General Training.
Related guides
- Canada PR from the UAE: Express Entry step by step
- UAE bank statements for visa applications
- UAE employer NOC letter templates
Sources
- Department of Home Affairs — Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189): immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Department of Home Affairs — Competent English: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Department of Home Affairs — SkillSelect invitation rounds, Migration Program planning levels, visa pricing table, character and health requirements: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- 2026–27 Federal Budget, migration measures, May 2026
Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches visa and residence rules from government sources. He is not a migration agent or lawyer, and Sifqa does not process applications. Read the editorial policy.
Last checked 5 October 2026. Fees, planning levels and invitation scores are rechecked quarterly. Found an error? Email [email protected] — it gets fixed and logged.