190 Visa or Skilled Nominated Visa

What you should know:

•    The Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated Visa is a permanent visa for skilled workers nominated by an Australian state or territory
•    You must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect and receive a nomination before applying
•    Minimum points required: 65, but competitive occupations may require higher scores
•    You need to be 18 to 44 years old, have a listed occupation, a positive skills assessment, and competent English
•    After nomination, you must apply for the visa within 60 days of receiving your invitation
•    This visa allows you to live and work permanently in Australia, sponsor relatives, and apply for citizenship when eligible
•    Including spouse/partner and dependent children is permitted
•    You must live in your nominated state/territory for 2 years after visa grant
•    Processing times vary: 75% of applications take up to 6 months
•    Current base government fee: AUD 4910, additional charges apply for dependents

 

You can apply for this permanent visa inside or outside Australia.

To apply for this visa, you shall:

1. Submit your Expression of Interest or EOI using Skill Select

2. Be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency

3. Receive an invitation letter to be able to apply

 

With a skilled nominated visa or 190 visa, you can:

• Stay in Australia as a permanent resident

• Work and study in Australia

• Sponsor relatives for temporary visas or permanent residencies.

• Move inside Australia freely after two years of residence in the nominated State/Territory.

• Travel inside and outside Australia

• Apply for citizenship in case of eligibility

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How to apply for a skilled nominated visa or a 190 visa?

The applicants shall receive at least 65 points in the points assessment and shall be nominated by a Territory government agency or an Australian State. You need to submit your EOI and wait to receive your invitation to be able to apply for this visa. As soon as you receive the invitation you have 60 days to apply.

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Skilled Nominated Visa eligibility

To be an eligible applicant you shall:

• Have an occupation mentioned in the occupation list

• Have a proper skills assessment related to your occupation

• Have a minimum English competency

• Between 18 and  44 years old

 

Skilled Nominated Visa Application Steps

 

1. Apply for skills assessment

 

1. Submit EOI or Expression of Interest

Your EOI shall be submitted through Skill Select. In Skill Select, some questions related to your working experience, skills, English language competency, and age will be asked.

 

1. Apply for state nomination

You must choose the territory or state

 

1. Wait to receive your invitation

 

1. Apply for this visa

Apply for this visa within 60 days after you receive the invitation

Including family members

With this visa, you may be allowed to include your family members; your spouse/partner, or your dependent children.

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To be nominated by a state territory

Every state government announces a list of jobs in finite and limited supply in their area. This list changes based on each state and territory’s requirements.

State and territory governments may appoint individuals who hold the jobs required in their state or territory. These occupations are found on lists commonly referred to as state and territory migration plans. These plans change regularly and may set minimum working experience and English competency requirements. Often there are two lists with different criteria. One is related to subclass 190 visas and the other is related to subclass 491 skilled work regional (provisional) visas.

It is common for certain occupations to be filled quickly.

As this process is truly competitive, the requirements set by the state or territory governments are often higher than the ones set for visa purposes. State/territory governments require the applicants to show evidence that they have researched for employment opportunities, a job offer, or, if onshore, currently reside in the state or territory.

 

visa requirements

State governments usually require that you live and work in the nominated state or territory for two years before considering the nomination.

They may check residency consistency for those nominated for subclass 190 visas.

 

190 Visa or Skilled Nominated Visa Processing Time

Once you submit your visa application, the processing time can vary greatly depending on many factors.

Here are the guidelines provided by the department of home affairs site currently:

 

    25% of applications take about 3 months

    50% of applications take about   3 months

    75% of applications take about   6 months

    90% of applications take about 11 months

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Fees

Government application fees currently start at AUD4,240. This depends on the number of dependents listed on the application and their ages. Consultancy fees depend on your conditions.

190 Visa or Skilled Nominated Visa Passing Marks

The minimum score to be able to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) is currently 65 points. However, the more points you have, the better your application will be and the more likely it is to receive an invitation. Some professions require a very high passing score and not all professions are invited to every round.

How to Gain More Points?

To increase your points and maximize your chances of being invited for this visa, we recommend considering the followings:

• Your partner shall have a positive skills assessment in an occupation that is also on the same list of eligible occupations as you (as the main applicant).

• Your partner shall meet the English standard requirements for extra points.

• Obtain your native language accredited by NAATI

• Gain working experience in Australia

• Work on improving your English language

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Skills Assessment and English test results

Unless otherwise stated, skills assessments are valid for 3 years and the results in English tests are valid for 3 years. It is important to ensure that your English proficiency test results and skills assessment are valid at the time you receive the invitation.

 

FAQs

Do I Apply inside Australia or abroad? Am I allowed to include family members in my visa application?

You can apply onshore or offshore Australia and include dependents such as your spouse/partner and your dependent children.

What Happens When My 190 Visa Application is submitted?

Once your 190 visa application has been assigned to an authority, an ID check may be performed and requested information such as employment, character, and health may be evaluated before deciding on the visa application.

Please note that the related authority may reject your visa application without requiring additional information or documentation. Therefore, it is essential to submit all your relevant documents at the time of application.

 

Becoming an Australian Citizen

After a certain period, you may be able to obtain Australian citizenship.

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Looking to live and work in Australia permanently? The Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) could be your ideal path—especially if you're nominated by a state or territory. You’ll first need to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via SkillSelect. If invited, you’ll have 60 days to apply. To qualify, you must be aged 18–44, have a skilled occupation, positive skills assessment, competent English, and score at least 65 points (though higher scores are often needed). With this visa, you can work, study, sponsor family, and apply for citizenship down the track. At API Migration, we guide you through each step—from eligibility to securing your nomination and submitting a strong application.