The 190 Visa is a points-based visa which allows highly skilled workers who have received a nomination from an Australian State or Territory to live and work permanently in Australia.
If you wish to apply for this visa, you must first obtain a positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation, and then lodge an Expression of Interest. If this is successful, and you are nominated by a State or Territory, you will then be invited to lodge a 190 Visa application.
190 Visa – Eligibility
In order to apply for a 190 Visa, you should:
- have a relevant occupation which features on the 190 Visa occupation list
- have undergone a suitable skills assessment for your occupation
- meet the points test pass mark of 65 points
- have received the nomination of an Australian state or territory government agency
- have lodged an EOI and been invited to apply
- be aged between 18 and 44
- be able to demonstrate Competent English language ability
- meet standard good health and character requirements for Australian work visas
What can you do with a 190 visa?
The 190 Visa is a permanent visa which allows holders to:
- stay in Australia indefinitely
- work and study in Australia
- enrol in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses
- sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
- travel freely to and from Australia for an initial period of five years
- apply for Australian citizenship, if they meet the other eligibility criteria for citizenship
190 Visa – Application Process
Each State and Territory Government has its own list of occupations in demand in their area, and which are eligible to be sponsored for a 190 Visa. Though multiple governments may welcome applications from the same occupation, the precise eligibility requirements may vary between states or territories, such as with regard to the required amount of work experience or level of English language ability.
Once you have identified one more States or Territories whose nomination/s you wish to seek, you will need to submit a 190 Visa expression of interest (EOI) via SkillSelect with details of your nominated occupation, skills and qualifications. SkillSelect will calculate an estimated points score and, if you score high enough, government agencies will be able to view your EOI and consider whether they want to nominate you to apply for a 190 Visa.
If you are nominated by a state or territory agency, you will receive a formal invitation to apply for a 190 Visa. You will then have 60 calendar days to submit your 190 Visa application.
You can be in or outside Australia when you submit your EOI, and when you apply for the 190 Visa itself. To be able to lodge from within Australia, however, you will need to hold either a full, substantive visa or a Bridging A, B or C visa. If your current visa is due to expire while you await the outcome of your 190 Visa application, you will usually be granted a bridging visa to allow you to remain in Australia during processing of your visa application. However, if your current visa is either refused or cancelled, you might not be eligible to apply for the 190 visa while remaining in Australia.
Related: Skilled Visa Processing Times
190 Visa – Points Test
If you are invited to apply for a 190 Visa, you will be expected to demonstrate in your application that you can meet the estimated points score in your invitation letter. This score will be 65 points or more.
The score on your invitation letter is based on the information you provided in your EOI. You can gain points for a range of factors, including English language ability, skilled employment history, academic and vocational qualifications, study in Australia and specialist education. You may also be able to claim points if you have a qualifying partner who is also able to work in an eligible skilled occupation, or if you speak certain ‘community languages’.
Use our PR Points Calculator to see how many points you might get.
190 Visa – Cost
From AUD 4,640
You may also have to pay additional costs.
190 Visa requirements by State/Territory
Each state and territory has its own priority occupations, and variations in eligibility requirements and application processes.
Click a state or territory on the map below to find out more, or view our overall guidance on state and territory nomination requirements for the 190 Visa.
Australia
190 Visa – Application Process
Assessing authorities
Use the assessing authority listed against your nominated occupation in the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.
Family
You can include your partner and your or your partner’s child or step-child in your application.
Family members who are granted the visa have the same rights and can do the same things as you.
Your obligations
You and your family members must comply with Australian laws and your visa obligations. You can find your visa conditions in VEVO.
You also have obligations toward the state or territory that nominates you.
Travel
You can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want for five years after the visa is granted.
How VisaEnvoy can help you with your 190 Visa application
Based in Melbourne and with offices across Australia, our registered migration agents have a wealth of experience in managing general skilled visa applications. We can ensure you have the best possible chance of securing your 190 Visa, and can assistwith:
- Obtaining your skills assessment
- Obtaining a nomination from a State or Territory Government
- Preparing your relative sponsorship application
- Lodging and monitoring your visa application
- Correspondence with skills assessing authorities and the Department of Immigration until grant
- Managing your bridging visas
Book an no-commitment consultation today if you would like a personalised assessment of your eligibility for the Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated Visa.
190 Visa Application – Step-by-Step
Stage 1: Initial Eligibility Assessment
The first step that we will take is to conduct an initial assessment of your eligibility for this visa. This involves reviewing your qualifications, work experience, English language and other circumstances, to establish whether or not you are likely to meet the relevant requirements.
As part of this initial eligibility assessment, we will consider which occupation(s) you are likely to be able to nominated for, and whether or not you are potentially eligible for a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for that occupation.
We will then provide you with informed and comprehensive advice about your ability to meet the minimum standards (including State/Territory nomination) that the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) requires migrants to fulfil in order to qualify for an invitation to apply for this visa.
Stage 2: Skills Assessment
Should our initial assessment indicate that you are eligible for a positive skills assessment, nomination and Expression of Interest (EOI), we will prepare your skills assessment application.
For each skilled occupation listed on the STSOL and MLTSSL, DOHA has specified an assessing authority that may carry out skills assessments for that occupation. Only a skills assessment conducted by the relevant assessing authority will be accepted by DOHA in support of an EOI.
We will provide you with a full list of the information and documents required to support your application. When you have provided the necessary details and documents, along with the required assessment fee, we will lodge your application with the applicable skills assessing authority.
Stage 3: Expression of Interest
Once you have received a positive skills assessment from the skills assessing authority, we will prepare and lodge your EOI. At this time, you will need to specify which Australian state or territory’s nomination you would like for your visa application. Alternatively, if you do not have a preference, you can choose to make yourself available for nomination by any State or Territory.
Although you do not need to provide supporting documents at this stage, you MUST be able to provide evidence that the information supplied in the EOI is correct at the time that you are invited to apply for the visa.
If you are successful in obtaining a State or Territory nomination (see below) and you meet all other relevant requirements, you will then be invited to lodge a visa application.
Note: DOHA retains an EOI for 2 years from the date that it is lodged. During this time, your EOI can be updated if any of your circumstances change (e.g. you obtain a new qualification or skills assessment). If your points score or ranking changes during this 2-year period, based on either your changing circumstances or the changing skill needs of the State/Territory, you may be issued with an invitation to apply for the visa at that point in time.
Stage 4: State/Territory Nomination
Once your EOI has been lodged, the government agency of the State or Territory that you have chosen will review your EOI to determine whether or not you meet their particular criteria for nomination (this includes the requirement that your nominated occupation be included on the skilled occupation list for that State/Territory).
We will supply the relevant State or Territory government agency with the evidence you have provided to prove that you meet their criteria. The nature and extent of the supporting evidence required varies depending upon the State or Territory in question. In addition, you must be prepared to commit to settling in that State or Territory for a minimum of two years.
If your supporting evidence is deemed acceptable, the State or Territory government agency will then nominate you for the subclass 190 visa.
Stage 5: Visa Application
Once you have successfully obtained a State or Territory nomination, and DOHA has invited you to apply for this visa, we will prepare and lodge your visa application within the specified time frame, together with all of the documents that support the information that you provided in your EOI. This includes your skills assessment, English language test results, qualifications, work references and all other required documents.
If your 190 Visa application is approved, you will be granted a permanent visa. You may be either in Australia or overseas when your visa is granted.
Read more:
Other State Skilled Occupations lists for 190 visa and 491 regional state sponsored visa
Book a meeting with our Registered Migration Agents in Melbourne for a commitment-free consultation covering all your Australian visa options.
