Update on the ACT’s 190 nomination program

Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP)

The Department of Home Affairs has allocated no new nomination places for the BIIP in the 2023-24 program year for the ACT or any jurisdiction.

The Department of Home Affairs has advised this decision is due to the limited number of BIIP places available within the 2023-24 Migration program and the high number of applications already on-hand. Existing first and second stage visas are still being processed under the BIIP.

The ACT BIIP is closed to new applications for 2023-24.

ACT Nomination Guidelines and ACT Critical Skills List

There are no further changes at this stage to either the ACT Nomination Guidelines or the ACT Critical Skills list. However, ACT anticipate a review later in the year and will advise any significant changes in due course.

Invitation rounds

ACT aim is to continue with regular invitation rounds. The frequency may differ this year based on a range of factors, noting the lower allocation. ACT will provide updates on invitations rounds.

The next invitation round will be undertaken before 29 September 2023.

Given the lower allocation this year, you can expect the number of invitations to decrease, which will also likely result in higher minimum scores meriting an invitation.

The Process

• Intending applicants will be required to express their interest by completing the Canberra Matrix

– No documents are required to be lodged with the Canberra Matrix

– There is no application fee for completing and submitting the Canberra Matrix

• Either once or twice a month (to be decided) the ACT Government will determine which Canberra Matrix applicants, based on the Matrix points test (has no relationship or impact on Home Affairs points test) will be issued an invitation to apply for ACT Government 190 nomination

– The ACT Government reserves the right to use other levers to select applicants based on economic benefit to Canberra

• The Canberra Matrix points are frozen upon submission and cannot be updated

– If points allocation change, for any reason. a new Canberra Matrix will be required to be submitted

• A Canberra Matrix will remain valid for 6 months before it is removed from the system
• The matrix scoring for Canberra residents has 12 factors

Canberra Matrix for Canberra Residents
Category	Option	Points
Current ACT Residence	4 + years	20
	3 – 4 years	15
	2 – 3 years	10
	1 – 2 years	5
	Less than one year	0
English Proficiency	Superior	15
	Proficient	10
	Competent	0
Spouse/Partner English	Superior/Proficient	5
Nomination Occupation	In demand or ‘Open’ on the ACT Occupation List	20
Length of current ACT employment	Employed for 12 months +	10
	Employed for 6-12 months	5
ACT Employment Type	Working in ‘open’ nominated occupation	15
	Working in ‘open’ but not nominated the occupation	10
	Working in ANZCO Skill level 1 to 3 occupation	5
	Previous ACT employment in nominated occupation – minimum one year	4
Spouse/Partner Employment	Working in the ‘open’ Occupation in the ACT	15
	Skill assessment relevant to the current occupation	10
	Tertiary qualification relevant to current occupation	5
	Currently working in any occupation	5
Study Level at Tertiary Institution	Doctoral Degree	20
	Master’s Degree	15
	Bachelors Degree or 3-year trade certificate	10
	Diploma (at least 2 years)	5
Study Completed at an ACT tertiary institute	3 years or more	15
	2 years	10
	1 year	5
Prospective Applicants	Canberra Resident	10
Assets in Canberra	ACT property (min. $250,000 investment)	5
	2 years ACT business activity, majority ownership & minimum $100,000	5
	$200,000 investment in a start-up ACT business	5
Close Family Ties	Australian citizen/permanent resident spouse/partner, child	20
	Australian citizen/permanent resident parent, grandparent, brother, sister	10
	Temporary resident spouse/partner	5

• The Matrix for overseas residents has essentially the same factors except the grandfathering factor mentioned above
• Intending applicants who live in Canberra and commute to Sydney, for example, for study and/or work, regardless of the time spent in or out of Canberra will not meet the requirements for an invitation
• To meet the Canberra residence requirements, the intending applicant can live in Canberra (this goes without saying) or live within a 30-minute commute radius of Canberra (for example, live in Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra, Bungendore, Murrumbateman)
• Intending applicants who work in Queanbeyan, for example, are also ineligible to receive an invitation

Key points to note

• There will be no requests for further information (applications not complete will be refused)
• If the documents provided at the application stage do not support the information provided in the Canberra Matrix, the application will be refused
• There are no waiver provisions
• The ACT Government will not respond to requests for special treatment based on

– Expiry of English language results, skills assessments

– Change of age

– Visa expiry, etc

• ACT Government will not respond to requests about an individual’s ranking, selection or invitation process

Source: Migration Institute of Australia (MIA)