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Pathway

Australia Skilled Nominated Visa

Australia Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

Australia's Skilled Nominated visa is a points-tested permanent residence route for skilled workers nominated by a state or territory. It generally requires an eligible occupation, skills assessment, English ability, points, nomination, and an invitation.

Type
Skilled-worker residence
Job or skills fit
Skilled workers nominated by an Australian state or territory
Core requirements
Eligible occupation, positive skills assessment, English, at least 65 points, nomination, and an invitation
What to know
Meeting minimum rules may not guarantee an invitation
Duration
Permanent residence from the date the visa is granted.
Renewal / path
Usually includes a commitment to live and work in the nominating state or territory.

Summary

The Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190) is a points-tested permanent visa for a skilled worker nominated by an Australian state or territory. State nomination adds 5 points to the federal points test, but the applicant must satisfy both the nominating jurisdiction's criteria and Home Affairs' visa criteria.

Each state and territory chooses candidates for its own labor and population priorities. Lists, residence requirements, work-experience rules and nomination commitments can change during a program year. A nomination is not transferable between jurisdictions.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

The applicant normally must:

An EOI tells SkillSelect and states that the person is interested in nomination. It is not a visa application and creates no bridging status. States can impose criteria beyond the federal minimum—for example, residence in that state, employment in the occupation, a job offer, higher English, work experience, graduate status or a minimum points score.

If nominated, Home Affairs issues the invitation through SkillSelect. The applicant normally has 60 calendar days to lodge and must prove the invitation score and all EOI claims. The state must not withdraw the nomination before decision.

Health, character, identity and family-member rules apply at the visa stage. Skills and English documents must remain valid at the legally relevant dates.

What This Route Allows

Subclass 190 grants Australian permanent residence, with the right to live, work and study indefinitely, enroll in Medicare, sponsor eligible relatives and later apply for citizenship if eligible.

As a matter of federal visa status, the holder is a permanent resident. States generally ask nominees to genuinely intend to live and work in the nominating jurisdiction—often for around 2 years—and may require settlement surveys or updates. The exact undertaking comes from that state's program; it should not be presented as one universal federal visa condition.

The visa includes a 5-year travel facility. A Resident Return visa may be needed for re-entry after it expires if the holder has not become a citizen.

What This Route Is Not

Meeting the federal 65-point threshold does not guarantee state nomination. A state can prefer particular occupations, sectors, locations or candidates and can close a stream without notice.

Nomination is not a substitute for Home Affairs approval. The Department independently checks age, English, skills, points, health, character and the truth of every claim.

The common phrase "must live in the state for 2 years" is too broad unless tied to the actual nomination terms. The applicant should take the declared settlement intention seriously and read the state's undertaking, but not confuse a state program commitment with a universally worded visa condition.

Next Steps

  1. Identify the occupation and obtain the correct skills assessment.
  2. Confirm age, English and a conservatively documented federal score before submitting an EOI.
  3. Compare every state's current official nomination criteria, not third-party occupation lists.
  4. Select only jurisdictions where the applicant can genuinely meet the rules and settlement intention.
  5. Keep the EOI and state registration updated until invitation.
  6. If nominated and invited, verify every point and lodge within 60 days.
  7. Keep a copy of the state's nomination undertaking and comply with its post-arrival contact or survey requests.
Compare your options

Similar skilled worker pathways in Australia.

Sources