Starting July 2025, Australia’s General Skilled Migration (GSM) Points Test will undergo several key updates, reflecting a national push to attract skilled, long-term residents, particularly in regional areas and priority sectors. These changes aim to prioritize highly skilled professionals with regional ties, strong English skills, and experience in priority industries.

The key changes effective July 2025 include:

• +10 Points for studying and living in designated regional areas. Legacy migrants with past study or employment in places like Adelaide, Hobart, or Darwin may qualify for 10–15 bonus points.

• +15 Points for work experience in priority industries such as healthcare, engineering, and construction. Legacy migrants can gain more points if their work history in Australia is in a priority sector. Critical sectors mentioned include health, education, IT, or trades, with additional points possible for 3+ years of experience.

• Increased Points for superior English proficiency, specifically for an IELTS score of 8.0 or equivalent. Migrants are advised to aim for an IELTS score of 8.0 or higher to receive maximum language points.

• Revised Age Bracket Weighting, which will give more weight to applicants under 35 years old.

• Bonus Points for occupations listed in the updated National Skills Priority List. Applicants should ensure their nominated occupation is on this list and their qualifications are assessed accordingly.

These updates are designed to help fill workforce gaps across Australia. For legacy migrants—individuals who have lived in Australia on temporary visas for several years—these changes present unique opportunities to potentially qualify for skilled visas like Subclass 189, 190, and 491, even if they previously missed cutoffs.