Head to head · Checked 30 October 2026
Lodge the expression of interest first vs Get the skills assessment first
An expression of interest in SkillSelect can be lodged before the skills assessment and the English test are in hand, because it is a claim rather than an application; but the points claimed must be true on the day of the invitation, and the 189, 190 and 491 require a suitable skills assessment and the English result to have existed at the time of invitation. An expression of interest lodged on claims that are not yet provable earns an invitation that cannot be used, which wastes the invitation and risks a refusal; the states read the same. The skills assessment comes first in practice, the English test alongside it, and the expression of interest is lodged, or updated to the true score, the day the results arrive.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 30 October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Allowed
- Yes; SkillSelect accepts an EOI without the assessment · Yes
- The rule
- The points and the assessment must be true and held at the date of invitation · Nothing to reconcile; the EOI is lodged on proven claims
- Risk
- An invitation received before the assessment is unusable and lapses; the application that follows false claims is refused · Time: the assessment takes weeks to months before the EOI goes in
- Points
- Claimed points above the proven score are a misstatement · Claimed points match the evidence
The migration agent that other migration agents learn from. WIDEN is an OMARA-approved CPD provider — our training is rated ★4.8 by 40+ registered migration agents.
About the CPD →Side by side
| Lodge the expression of interest first | Get the skills assessment first | |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed | Yes; SkillSelect accepts an EOI without the assessment | Yes |
| The rule | The points and the assessment must be true and held at the date of invitation | Nothing to reconcile; the EOI is lodged on proven claims |
| Risk | An invitation received before the assessment is unusable and lapses; the application that follows false claims is refused | Time: the assessment takes weeks to months before the EOI goes in |
| Points | Claimed points above the proven score are a misstatement | Claimed points match the evidence |
| States | Most require the assessment and English before registering interest | Ready for every state |
| Watch out | A 60-day invitation window spent waiting for an assessment | An assessment that expires before the invitation; check its validity |
Charges are the current government application charges (from 1 July 2026, main applicant) — see the fee calculator for your family's total. Checked 30 October 2026.
The honest verdict
An expression of interest in SkillSelect can be lodged before the skills assessment and the English test are in hand, because it is a claim rather than an application; but the points claimed must be true on the day of the invitation, and the 189, 190 and 491 require a suitable skills assessment and the English result to have existed at the time of invitation. An expression of interest lodged on claims that are not yet provable earns an invitation that cannot be used, which wastes the invitation and risks a refusal; the states read the same. The skills assessment comes first in practice, the English test alongside it, and the expression of interest is lodged, or updated to the true score, the day the results arrive.
Which side of that line you fall on depends on facts a table cannot hold — your age, score, occupation's lists, and what evidence you can actually assemble. That is consultation territory, not guesswork territory.
More head-to-heads: 482 vs 494 · 190 vs 491 · 189 vs 190 · 482 vs 186
General information only, not migration advice. Settings shown are the general rules; exemptions and stream variations exist. Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) after a paid consultation under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct.
Book 30 minutes with Keshab.
Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536), reads your situation with you and tells you which route fits, what it costs and what happens next.
Video consultation. A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes, credited in full if you go ahead. Free questions are closed: advice on your own case is the consultation.
Book a consultation — A$330 inc. GST, credited In writing, no call — A$550
Need 60 minutes, or bringing a partner, employer or documents to go through? Extended consultation, A$550 inc. GST.
MARN 1576536 · practising since 2015 · contact details
Not sure which visa fits you?
Answer three questions. An automated guide points you to the route that usually applies. General information only.
Questions we get asked first
Lodge the expression of interest first or Get the skills assessment first — which is better?
An expression of interest in SkillSelect can be lodged before the skills assessment and the English test are in hand, because it is a claim rather than an application; but the points claimed must be true on the day of the invitation, and the 189, 190 and 491 require a suitable skills assessment and the English result to have existed at the time of invitation. An expression of interest lodged on claims that are not yet provable earns an invitation that cannot be used, which wastes the invitation and risks a refusal; the states read the same. The skills assessment comes first in practice, the English test alongside it, and the expression of interest is lodged, or updated to the true score, the day the results arrive.
What is the main difference between the Lodge the expression of interest first and the Get the skills assessment first?
Allowed: Lodge the expression of interest first — Yes; SkillSelect accepts an EOI without the assessment; Get the skills assessment first — Yes. The rule: Lodge the expression of interest first — The points and the assessment must be true and held at the date of invitation; Get the skills assessment first — Nothing to reconcile; the EOI is lodged on proven claims. Risk: Lodge the expression of interest first — An invitation received before the assessment is unusable and lapses; the application that follows false claims is refused; Get the skills assessment first — Time: the assessment takes weeks to months before the EOI goes in.
Keep reading