Vietnamese workers: how could Australia's points test change for skilled visas?

News · 2026-09-03 · 3 min read

Many Vietnamese workers hope to live and work in Australia for the long term. For skilled visas, one thing matters a lot: the points test. New research asks a simple question. Does this test pick the people who do best in Australia? The answer, it says, is not always.

What is the points test?

The points test gives each applicant a score. The score comes from things like age, education and English. It helps decide who can get permanent residency. Permanent residency means you can live in Australia with no time limit.

What did the research look at?

Researchers studied tax, Census and visa records over three decades. They compared how much migrants earned with the visa path they used. Their main finding is clear. Some things that give points have little link to success. A few even link to worse results.

Community language credentials
Regional study
Professional Year programs
Specialist qualifications outside core regulated fields
Study at an Australian university

Migrants who came as international students and later used the points test often earned less. They were also more likely to work in jobs below their qualification level.

Why does this happen?

The test was made decades ago. At that time most applicants lived overseas. Today most people who get a points-tested visa are already in Australia. Many were students. Some wait a long time on bridging and temporary visas. That is stressful for families.

The research also names three problems. The points for age, education, English and work experience are too small compared with their real value. One scoring scale is used for very different jobs. And people who already work in Australia are scored like new applicants, even though their results can be seen.

What could change?

Two ideas are suggested. These are ideas only, not decisions.

Make the current test simpler. Remove points that do not help, and give more weight to age, education, English and Australian work experience.
Split the path into two streams. One stream is for people overseas and new graduates. The other is for temporary visa holders who already work in their chosen job. The second stream looks mainly at age and Australian earnings in the last two years.

What can you prepare today?

You cannot plan around a rule that has not been made. But you can build strong basics. Practise your English, and take IELTS or PTE if the visa or employer needs it. Vietnamese vocational certificates and degrees are usually assessed again in Australia, so learn about the skills assessment for your field. Keep certified English translations of your documents. If a police certificate is requested, Vietnamese citizens usually need the Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (Phiếu lý lịch tư pháp số 2).

You can read about visa types on the official visa listing.

Please stay safe. Deal only with licensed organisations and real employers. Never pay an unlicensed broker, and be careful with anyone who asks for money upfront to secure a visa.

#skilled visas #points test #australia #vietnamese workers #permanent residency #visa reform