EOI Not Invited: Reasons and How to Improve Your Score
Why Was My EOI Not Invited?
This is a question thousands of SkillSelect applicants ask every year. The EOI is Active but, through many invitation rounds, still receives no invitation — a situation that can last many months, even years. Understanding the reasons is the first step to improving things.
Reason 1: Your Score Is Below the Cutoff
The most common reason is that the EOI score has not reached the cutoff for the invitation round. In each round, the Department of Home Affairs only invites applicants with a score at or above a certain threshold. If your score is below that threshold, you will not be invited even though your EOI is perfectly valid.
The cutoff score changes from round to round and from occupation to occupation. For many popular occupations such as accounting and information technology, the cutoff often ranges from 80–95 points. An applicant with 65 points will wait a very long time, or may never be invited, for these occupations.
Reason 2: The Occupation Has Reached Its Allocation Ceiling
Each financial year, each occupation has a maximum number of invitations (the occupation ceiling). Once this ceiling is reached, no further invitations are issued for that occupation that year, no matter how high your score is.
This particularly affects certain occupations with large applicant pools. Even with a high score, if the occupation ceiling fills up mid-financial-year, you will have to wait until the new financial year (beginning 1 July).
Reason 3: The Occupation Is No Longer on the Priority List
The eligible occupation lists (the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List — MLTSSL, or the Short-term Skilled Occupation List — STSOL) are updated periodically. If your occupation is removed from the list after you have lodged your EOI, that EOI may no longer be considered.
How to Improve Your Score to Increase Your Chances
Improve your English score
English is the easiest factor to improve and has the largest points impact. The English-language points scale in the EOI is as follows:
- Competent English: 0 points
- Proficient English: 10 points
- Superior English: 20 points
Moving from Competent to Proficient (for example, IELTS 6.0 to 7.0 across all 4 skills) gains you 10 points. Moving up to Superior (IELTS 8.0 or above) adds 20 points. This is an investment of time and effort that is well worth it.
Build up more work experience
Work experience points increase by year band:
- Less than 3 years: 0 points
- 3–4 years: 5 points (overseas) or 5 points (in Australia)
- 5–7 years: 10 points (overseas) or 10 points (in Australia)
- 8–10 years: 15 points
- More than 10 years: 20 points
If you are getting close to the next experience-year milestone, sometimes waiting a few more months can add a meaningful 5 points.
Study in a regional area
Completing at least 2 years of study at a regional education provider in Australia and staying in a regional area during your studies brings 5 additional points. This is a long-term option but valuable if you are planning to study.
Partner points
If your partner is under 45 years old, has at least Competent English, and holds a valid skills assessment, you gain 10 points. If your partner is an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, you also gain 10 points.
Realistic Expectations
It is important to understand clearly: SkillSelect does not guarantee that every valid EOI will be invited. It is a competitive system based on points and quotas. If your score is below 75–80 for popular occupations, your chance of receiving an invitation in the near future is very low.
Rather than waiting in hope, take the initiative to plan how to improve your score, or consider other pathways such as the employer-sponsored subclass 482 visa to enter Australia, work, and build up more Australian experience points.