Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

Drafted from the official pages listed under Sources, last read on 29 October 2026. Rules, fees and thresholds change: check the official page before you act. This is not legal advice and does not guarantee any outcome.

Who it is for

The Australian Government describes the visa as letting nominated skilled workers live and work in Australia as permanent residents. It is for people whose occupation is on the relevant skilled occupation list and whom an Australian state or territory government is willing to nominate.

It differs from the Skilled Independent visa (see the subclass 189 guide), which needs no nomination, and from the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (see the subclass 491 guide), which is temporary and regional.

The visa gives permanent residence, Medicare and access to public services, the ability to include eligible family members and a pathway to Australian citizenship.

How it works

• Check that your occupation is on the relevant skilled occupation list and that you can reach at least 65 points.
• Obtain a suitable skills assessment for your occupation from the relevant assessing authority (for example VETASSESS: see the vetassess-australia guide).
• Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect. Meeting the points threshold does not guarantee an invitation.
• Meet the nominating state or territory’s own criteria and be nominated. Each state and territory sets its own rules and may run its own registration or application step first.
• Receive an invitation to apply. After an invitation you have 60 days to submit the visa application in ImmiAccount.
• Lodge the application with evidence of your skills, qualifications and other information, then wait for processing and a decision.

Main requirements

• Occupation: on the relevant skilled occupation list. Home Affairs says subclass 190 uses ANZSCO 2013 and the MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL lists.
• Points: at least 65 on the points test. Use the points test on this platform for an estimate only.
• Skills assessment: required. The standard depends on the occupation.
• Nomination: by a state or territory government. Requirements vary: for example Western Australia says nominees must be under 45 at EOI, have a valid skills assessment, meet minimum English scores and (in its General stream) have at least one year of relevant work experience in the last 10 years.
• English: evidence is required. Home Affairs publishes the minimum test scores for Competent English; confirm the level your EOI and the nominating state require.
• No employer or family sponsor is needed.

Home Affairs says healthcare and teaching occupations receive priority for visa processing.

Costs and timing

Visa application charge. The Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026, commencing 1 July 2026, set the first instalment for the Skilled Nominated class at AUD 6,140 for the main applicant, AUD 3,070 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 1,535 for each under 18. Lower amounts apply to holders of a passport from a Pacific-regional country. Confirm the amount for your case in the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator.

Nomination fee. States and territories may charge their own fee. Western Australia lists a non-refundable AUD 200 for its 2025-26 program year.

Nomination places. Home Affairs publishes yearly allocations. For 2025-26 the subclass 190 allocation was 12,850 places in total (ACT 800, NSW 2,100, NT 850, QLD 1,850, SA 1,350, TAS 1,200, VIC 2,700, WA 2,000). The page read did not show 2026-27 figures. Because places are limited, a state may close or pause intake; Migration Tasmania, for example, said in May 2026 that few places remained for that program year.

Timing. The Government site says processing times vary and gives no figures. Check the Home Affairs processing times tool; any figure is an estimate published by the authority, not a promise.

Preparing your file

• Choose your occupation code from your real tasks and duties, using the official list.
• Start the skills assessment early: it is usually the longest step.
• Book an accepted English test and keep the result valid for your invitation date.
• Read the nominating state’s page for your occupation before you submit an EOI, including any residence or work commitment it asks for.
• Keep identity, education, employment and relationship documents, with certified English translations where needed.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Believing an EOI or a state registration is a visa application: it is not, and this platform does not lodge applications.
• Assuming 65 points is enough for an invitation or nomination: states may require more or apply extra criteria.
• Choosing an occupation that is not on the list used for this visa, or that the state does not nominate.
• Missing the 60-day deadline after the invitation, or the state’s own deadline.
• Relying on unofficial summaries instead of the state page and Home Affairs.