澳大利亚签证家庭成员一起申请：主申请人怎么定？

Late on a Tuesday evening in a suburban Melbourne living room, a family of four hunches over a laptop, staring at the Department of Home Affairs visa lodgement portal. The question that has stalled their application for three days is deceptively simple: who should be the main applicant? It is a decision that carries disproportionate weight. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ Migration Program Report for 2023–24, family-sponsored visa categories accounted for 40,500 places, with the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) and Partner visa (subclass 820/801) forming the bulk of the program. Within these streams, the primary applicant’s profile—age, occupation, English proficiency, and health status—directly determines the family’s eligibility and points score. A single misjudgment can cost months of processing time, or worse, a refusal. The Australian Government’s Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) noted in its 2024 National Conference Proceedings that approximately 22% of refused family applications cite an incorrectly designated main applicant as a contributing factor. This article walks through the strategic calculus of choosing the primary visa holder, drawing on real-world cases and official data to help families avoid that costly error.

The Core Principle: Who Earns the Most Points?

The most straightforward rule in Australian skilled migration is that the primary applicant is the person whose skills, age, and English ability generate the highest points score under the Department of Home Affairs’ Points Test system. For the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) and Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190), a minimum of 65 points is required to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI), but the average invitation round in 2023–24 sat at 85–90 points for many occupations, according to the department’s SkillSelect Invitation Round Data (June 2024). If one partner holds a PhD in engineering and scores 20 points for age (25–32), 20 for English (Proficient or Superior), and 15 for a skilled occupation, while the other partner scores only 15 points for age and 10 for English, the higher-scoring partner should be the main applicant. The dependent partner can then contribute a maximum of 10 additional points for their own skills or English ability, but only if the main applicant’s base score is already competitive. A common mistake is assuming the partner with the longer work history should lead—age penalties (points drop after 33, then again after 40) often outweigh experience.

When Age Tips the Balance

Age is the single most inflexible factor in the points system, and it frequently dictates who should be the primary visa holder. The Department of Home Affairs awards 30 points for applicants aged 18–24, 30 points for 25–32, 15 points for 33–39, and 15 points for 40–44. After 45, skilled migration becomes nearly impossible without employer sponsorship. In a couple where one partner is 31 and the other is 38, the 31-year-old should almost always be the main applicant, even if the 38-year-old has a higher salary or more years of experience. The 31-year-old can claim 30 points for age, while the 38-year-old gets only 15—a 15-point gap that no amount of work experience (maximum 20 points for 8+ years) can fully close. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Migration, Australia report (2022–23) shows that 62% of primary skilled visa applicants were aged 25–34, confirming that this age band dominates the program. For couples with a larger age gap—say a 29-year-old and a 42-year-old—the younger partner is the only viable primary applicant, as the older partner would fail the age threshold for most skilled visas entirely.

English Proficiency: The Silent Differentiator

English language ability can swing a points score by up to 20 points, making it a critical lever when the primary applicant is not obvious. The Department of Home Affairs awards 10 points for Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band), 20 points for Proficient (IELTS 7.0), and 20 points for Superior (IELTS 8.0). If one partner scores Proficient (20 points) and the other only Competent (10 points), the Proficient partner should lead, even if their occupation is less in demand. This is because the 10-point gap from English alone can be larger than the difference between a skilled occupation list (SOL) occupation and a non-SOL occupation. The Australian National University’s Centre for Social Research and Methods (2023) found that among family-unit skilled visa applicants, the partner with higher English proficiency was the primary applicant in 73% of successful cases where both partners had comparable work experience. For families where neither partner has a clear points advantage, investing in an IELTS or PTE preparation course for the stronger English speaker is often the most cost-effective way to boost the overall application. Some families use third-party tools like Sleek AU incorporation to structure business ownership and income proof for the primary applicant, but the English test result remains the purest differentiator.

Occupation Lists and State Nomination

The skilled occupation list (SOL) that the primary applicant’s job falls under can make or break a visa application, regardless of points. The Department of Home Affairs maintains three main lists: the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), and the Regional Occupation List (ROL). Occupations on the MLTSSL—such as Software Engineer, Registered Nurse, and Accountant—allow for the 189 visa and permanent residency directly. STSOL occupations only qualify for state-nominated (190) or regional (491) visas. If one partner’s occupation is on the MLTSSL and the other’s is on the STSOL, the MLTSSL partner should be the primary applicant, even if they have fewer points. The Department of Home Affairs’ Occupation Ceilings data for 2023–24 shows that 189 invitations for MLTSSL occupations filled within the first two months of the program year, while STSOL occupations often had unused capacity. For families aiming for state nomination (190 visa), the primary applicant must also meet the state’s specific occupation list—for example, Western Australia prioritises healthcare and construction, while Victoria favours technology and engineering. Choosing the wrong primary applicant could mean losing the state nomination opportunity entirely.

Partner Skills and the 10-Point Bonus

The dependent partner is not a passive passenger on the application; they can contribute up to 10 additional points to the primary applicant’s score, but only under strict conditions. To claim these points, the dependent partner must be under 45, have a skilled occupation on the same SOL as the primary applicant (or a closely related one), have Competent English (IELTS 6.0), and have a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority. If the dependent partner meets all criteria, the primary applicant gains 10 points—a significant boost that can push a borderline 75-point application to a competitive 85. However, if the dependent partner does not meet these conditions, they contribute zero points. The Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) Skills Assessment Guidelines (2024) emphasise that the skills assessment process takes 4–8 months and costs AUD 800–1,200, so families should assess whether the 10-point bonus is worth the time and money. In many cases, it is more efficient to simply designate the higher-scoring partner as the primary applicant and let the other partner apply as a secondary applicant without claiming points, rather than spending months on a skills assessment that may not change the outcome.

Regional vs. Metropolitan Considerations

The regional visa pathway (subclass 491 and 494) introduces another layer of strategy for families deciding the primary applicant. Regional visas offer 15 additional points for nomination, which can make a 65-point application viable in regions like South Australia, Tasmania, or Northern Territory. If one partner is willing to live and work in a regional area for three years (the pathway to permanent residency under the 491), they should be the primary applicant, even if the other partner has higher points for a metropolitan visa. The Department of Home Affairs’ Regional Migration Data (2023–24) shows that 491 invitations had a median points score of 75, compared to 90 for 189 invitations—a significant difference that makes regional pathways more accessible for families with moderate points. For example, a 38-year-old primary applicant with 70 points (age 15 + English 20 + experience 15 + education 15) can reach 85 points with a regional nomination, while the same applicant would struggle to get a 189 invitation. Families should also consider that the primary applicant must live in the designated regional area for the full 491 visa period, while the dependent partner can live anywhere in Australia—a flexibility that often makes the regional pathway more palatable for families with one partner working remotely.

FAQ

Q1: Can I change the main applicant after lodging the visa application?

Yes, but it is a complex and risky process. According to the Department of Home Affairs’ Visa Application Processing Guidelines (2024), changing the primary applicant after lodgement requires withdrawing the current application and submitting a new one, which resets the processing time and incurs a new application fee (AUD 4,640 for the 189 visa as of July 2024). In 2023–24, the department reported that approximately 15% of family visa applications were withdrawn or refused due to errors in the primary applicant designation. It is far safer to decide correctly before lodgement.

Q2: What if both partners have the same points score—who should be the main applicant?

When points are identical, the tie-breaker is typically the occupation ceiling and demand. The Department of Home Affairs prioritises occupations with lower invitation numbers. For example, in the March 2024 invitation round, the minimum points for Accountants was 95, while for Social Workers it was 75. If both partners have 85 points, the partner in the higher-demand occupation (lower points threshold) should be the primary applicant. The SkillSelect Invitation Round Data (April 2024) shows that 43% of ties were decided by occupation demand rather than age or English.

Q3: Can a dependent partner work in Australia while the visa is processing?

Yes, but only if they hold a valid visa that allows work. For onshore applicants on a Bridging Visa A (BVA), the dependent partner can work full-time once the primary applicant’s substantive visa expires. The Department of Home Affairs’ Bridging Visa Conditions (2024) state that dependent partners on a BVA have unrestricted work rights, while those on a BVC (if the application was lodged after a visa cancellation) have limited work rights. In 2023–24, over 80% of onshore family visa applicants held a BVA, allowing dependents to work immediately.

References

• Department of Home Affairs, 2024, Migration Program Report 2023–24
• Migration Institute of Australia (MIA), 2024, National Conference Proceedings: Visa Refusal Trends
• Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2023, Migration, Australia 2022–23
• Department of Home Affairs, 2024, SkillSelect Invitation Round Data – June 2024
• Australian National University, Centre for Social Research and Methods, 2023, Family-Unit Skilled Visa Outcomes