Withdrawing and Re-Lodging an EOI: When and How to Do It

When Should You Withdraw and Re-Lodge an EOI?

Many SkillSelect applicants encounter a situation where their current EOI no longer reflects the true state of their profile. In some cases, withdrawing the old EOI and lodging a new one is a more sensible option than simply updating the information. However, this decision needs careful thought because it has important consequences.

Three Main Situations to Consider Withdrawing and Re-Lodging

1. Changing your ANZSCO occupation code

This is the most common situation that forces an applicant to lodge a new EOI. If you have completed a skills assessment for a different ANZSCO code (for example, moving from accountant to a financial management occupation), you cannot simply change the ANZSCO code in your existing EOI.

When you change the ANZSCO code, the SkillSelect system treats it as a completely new profile. You must withdraw the old EOI and lodge a new one with the occupation code matching your most valid skills assessment result.

2. A significant points-boosting strategy

In some cases, an applicant achieves a large points increase — for example, having just completed a study program in Australia (an extra 5 points), or a partner having just completed a skills assessment (an extra 10 points). If you have updated all the information in your current EOI, your lodgement date is still retained — this is an advantage.

However, if for some reason you cannot update and must re-lodge, think carefully. Only re-lodge when the points advantage clearly outweighs the disadvantage of losing your queue position.

3. An expired skills assessment

A skills assessment is usually valid for 3 years. If the skills assessment in your EOI has expired, that EOI is no longer valid and you need to obtain a new assessment. After that, you need to update or re-lodge the EOI with a valid skills assessment.

An Important Warning: Losing Your Queue Position

This is the key point many applicants overlook: the EOI lodgement date is an important tiebreaker in SkillSelect. When two applicants have the same score, the one who lodged earlier is invited first.

When you withdraw your old EOI and lodge a new one, the lodgement date is reset to today. If you had an EOI from 12–18 months ago, you lose all of your queue-order advantage compared with people who have the same score.

A practical example: You have an EOI from January 2025 with 80 points. If you withdraw and re-lodge in June 2026 (even though your score is still 80), you will stand behind everyone who lodged an 80-point EOI before June 2026.

How to Withdraw an EOI in ImmiAccount

The process of withdrawing an EOI is relatively simple:

1. Log in to ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs website.
2. Go to the SkillSelect section of your account.
3. Find your current EOI and select the Withdraw option.
4. Confirm the withdrawal. This action cannot be undone.

After withdrawal, the EOI is marked as Withdrawn and is no longer considered in invitation rounds. At that point you can lodge a new EOI with updated information.

When Should You Update Instead of Re-Lodging?

If your change does not relate to the ANZSCO code (for example, a higher English score, additional work experience, or a partner completing a skills assessment), prioritise updating your existing EOI rather than re-lodging. Updating keeps your original lodgement date and preserves your queue position.

Only withdraw and re-lodge when it is genuinely necessary — that is, when there is an ANZSCO change or an expired skills assessment that cannot be renewed within the current EOI.

A Final Note

Before withdrawing an EOI, take a screenshot or save all the information in your current EOI for reference when you re-lodge. This helps you avoid missing any information and complete the new EOI more quickly.