Turning 33, 40 or 45 Around a Subclass 189 Invitation: What Changes?
For the points-tested Subclass 189 visa, your age is assessed at the invitation stage, not simply on the day you first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). Turning 33 or 40 can move you into a different points band. Turning 45 is a separate eligibility issue: you must be under 45 when invited. A birthday before an invitation can therefore have a different result from a birthday after it.
How the age points bands work
The Department of Home Affairs points table awards 25 points to applicants aged 18 to under 25, 30 points to those aged 25 to under 33, 25 points from age 33 to under 40, and 15 points from age 40 to under 45. The boundary is based on whether you have reached the birthday, not your age by calendar year or a rounded estimate.
If you turn 33 before the invitation, the age component changes from 30 to 25 points. Turning 40 before invitation changes it from 25 to 15. A birthday within the same band does not change the age points: for example, turning 35 while already in the 33-to-under-40 band keeps the same age score.
The under-45 rule is not just a points deduction
The Department says a points-tested Subclass 189 applicant must be under 45 when invited. If you turn 45 after submitting your EOI but before an invitation is issued, you will not be invited under this pathway. If you are invited while still under 45 and turn 45 afterward, you may continue with the visa application, subject to the other requirements.
An EOI does not reserve your age eligibility. Reaching the minimum points threshold does not guarantee an invitation by a particular date; invitations depend on the program and available places, and the score on an invitation can be higher than the minimum threshold. If your 45th birthday is close, include the possibility that no invitation arrives in time when making work, study or relocation decisions.
Keep the key dates together
Record your date of birth, EOI submission date, actual invitation date and the application deadline shown in the invitation. Until an invitation is issued, leave that date blank rather than entering a predicted round. Once invited, sign in to SkillSelect and check the official record; keep a copy of the invitation and the EOI claims that were current at that point.
Use the full date of birth shown in identity documents. If your passport, birth record and EOI contain different names or date formats, collect the genuine change or identity documents and resolve the discrepancy. Do not use a rounded age or a time-zone assumption to choose a more favourable result.
An invitation starts a filing deadline
After an invitation, applicants generally have 60 calendar days to lodge the visa application, and the Department says this period cannot be extended. Turning 45 after invitation does not give extra time. Check the date in the invitation and SkillSelect, then allow time for supporting evidence, payment and technical steps. Age is only one requirement; every points claim still needs supporting documents.
Before invitation, an EOI can be updated when circumstances change, but retain the update date and evidence for each claim. If you discover an incorrect birth date or score, do not rely on an invitation based on inaccurate information; promptly check the effect on your case. A state or territory notice is not a Subclass 189 invitation, so assess a nominated pathway separately.
Official sources and checked date
20 October 2026
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