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What age rules apply to these immigration routes?

Several of these say the opposite of what people expect: age is not a cut-off but a points band or a salary band. The authority's wording is reproduced in full rather than reduced to a number.

14 routes match this filter.

Routes with a published age rule

Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)
Australia
Age rule as published
You must be aged under 45 when we invite you to apply for the visa.
Residency
Permanent residence on grant
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-14
Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190)
Australia
Age rule as published
You must be aged under 45 when we invite you to apply for the visa.
Residency
Permanent residence on grant
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-14
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491)
Australia
Age rule as published
You must be aged under 45 to be invited to apply for the visa. You can still apply for the visa if you turn 45 after we invite you to apply. If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI but before we invite you to apply you will not receive an invite.
Residency
Temporary on grant; subclass 191 after 36 months only if the holder complied with this visa's conditions for the whole period held
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker
Canada
Age rule as published
Selection-factor points are awarded by age on the day IRCC gets the application: 12 points at ages 18–35, then decreasing to 1 point at 46, and 0 points under 18 or at 47 and older. Age is not published as a hard eligibility cut-off.
Residency
Permanent residence on grant
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · verified 2026-08-15
Quebec — Skilled Worker Selection (PSTQ)
Canada
Age rule as published
Pour déposer une déclaration d’intérêt, vous devez avoir 18 ans ou plus. Age is not published as a hard upper cut-off.
Residency
Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Source: ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration · verified 2026-08-16
Quebec — Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)
Canada
Age rule as published
Avoir 18 ans ou plus.
Residency
Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Source: ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration · verified 2026-08-16
Quebec — Entrepreneur Program
Canada
Age rule as published
Vous devez être âgé d’au moins 18 ans au moment de la présentation de la demande.
Residency
Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Source: ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration · verified 2026-08-16
Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)
Germany
Age rule as published
Age awards points at the time of the visa application: two points if you are no older than 35 (until the day you turn 35), one point if you are aged between 35 and 40. Age is not published as a hard eligibility cut-off.
Residency
Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Source: Federal Government (Make it in Germany) · verified 2026-08-15
EU Blue Card
Germany
Age rule as published
No minimum or maximum age is published for the EU Blue Card itself. A separate skilled-worker route (Sections 18a/18b) sets a 2026 salary of at least EUR 55,770 for people over 45 coming to work in Germany for the first time; that rule is not the Blue Card rule.
Residency
Temporary on grant; permanent residence is a later application after 21 months
Source: Federal Government (Make it in Germany) · verified 2026-08-15
Highly skilled migrant
Netherlands
Age rule as published
Age is not published as a hard eligibility cut-off. It sets the 2026 salary band: EUR 5,942 gross per month without holiday pay if you are 30 or older on the date of application, or EUR 4,357 if you are younger than 30. A reduced criterion of EUR 3,122 applies in the three published orientation-year / recent-graduate cases.
Residency
Temporary on grant; permanent residence is a later application after 60 months
Source: Immigration and Naturalisation Service · verified 2026-08-15
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
New Zealand
Age rule as published
You must be aged 55 or younger when you apply.
Residency
Permanent residence on grant
Source: Immigration New Zealand · verified 2026-08-15
Student Visa
United Kingdom
Age rule as published
You can apply for a Student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over. If you’re 16 or 17 and you want to study at an independent school, you may be eligible for a Child Student visa instead.
Residency
Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Source: UK Visas and Immigration · verified 2026-08-15
Skilled Worker Visa
United Kingdom
Age rule as published
The applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.
Residency
Temporary on grant; permanent residence is a later application after 60 months
Source: UK Visas and Immigration · verified 2026-08-15
High Potential Individual Visa
United Kingdom
Age rule as published
The applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.
Residency
Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Source: UK Visas and Immigration · verified 2026-08-15

Route	Age rule as published	Residency
Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) Australia	You must be aged under 45 when we invite you to apply for the visa.	Permanent residence on grant
Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) Australia	You must be aged under 45 when we invite you to apply for the visa.	Permanent residence on grant
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491) Australia	You must be aged under 45 to be invited to apply for the visa. You can still apply for the visa if you turn 45 after we invite you to apply. If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI but before we invite you to apply you will not receive an invite.	Temporary on grant; subclass 191 after 36 months only if the holder complied with this visa's conditions for the whole period held
Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker Canada	Selection-factor points are awarded by age on the day IRCC gets the application: 12 points at ages 18–35, then decreasing to 1 point at 46, and 0 points under 18 or at 47 and older. Age is not published as a hard eligibility cut-off.	Permanent residence on grant
Quebec — Skilled Worker Selection (PSTQ) Canada	Pour déposer une déclaration d’intérêt, vous devez avoir 18 ans ou plus. Age is not published as a hard upper cut-off.	Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Quebec — Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) Canada	Avoir 18 ans ou plus.	Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Quebec — Entrepreneur Program Canada	Vous devez être âgé d’au moins 18 ans au moment de la présentation de la demande.	Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) Germany	Age awards points at the time of the visa application: two points if you are no older than 35 (until the day you turn 35), one point if you are aged between 35 and 40. Age is not published as a hard eligibility cut-off.	Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
EU Blue Card Germany	No minimum or maximum age is published for the EU Blue Card itself. A separate skilled-worker route (Sections 18a/18b) sets a 2026 salary of at least EUR 55,770 for people over 45 coming to work in Germany for the first time; that rule is not the Blue Card rule.	Temporary on grant; permanent residence is a later application after 21 months
Highly skilled migrant Netherlands	Age is not published as a hard eligibility cut-off. It sets the 2026 salary band: EUR 5,942 gross per month without holiday pay if you are 30 or older on the date of application, or EUR 4,357 if you are younger than 30. A reduced criterion of EUR 3,122 applies in the three published orientation-year / recent-graduate cases.	Temporary on grant; permanent residence is a later application after 60 months
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa New Zealand	You must be aged 55 or younger when you apply.	Permanent residence on grant
Student Visa United Kingdom	You can apply for a Student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over. If you’re 16 or 17 and you want to study at an independent school, you may be eligible for a Child Student visa instead.	Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Skilled Worker Visa United Kingdom	The applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.	Temporary on grant; permanent residence is a later application after 60 months
High Potential Individual Visa United Kingdom	The applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.	Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own

Other comparisons: How long these routes take · Which routes grant permanent residence on grant · Which routes lead to permanent residence later · Do I need a job offer · What score do I need · How much these routes cost to apply for · How much money I have to show · What salary or income I need · What language score or level I need · Do these study routes lead to permanent residence · Which routes do not lead to permanent residence on their own

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