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  • Australian Visa Comparison Charts

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Australian Visa Comparison Charts

This information is to be used for comparison only and does not represent an exhaustive list of visas or their requirements. It reflects the settings in place from 1 July 2026.

Employer sponsored visas comparison chart

Visa type Visa duration SkillSelect expression of interest (EOI) required Sponsorship required Required to work in regional Australia Points tested visa Skill/qualification requirements Other eligibility requirements
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)
Core Skills and Specialist Skills streams		 Up to 4 years Not required Yes, by an approved business sponsor No No Core Skills: occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) and salary of at least $79,423 (from 1 July 2026). Specialist Skills: salary of at least $146,576, with most occupations eligible except trades workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers. At least 1 year of relevant work experience. Must meet the English requirement unless exempt. Time with any approved sponsor counts towards permanent residence through the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream after 2 years.
Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa (subclass 186) Permanent Not required Yes, by an employer No No Direct Entry stream: occupation on the CSOL, a positive skills assessment and at least 3 years of relevant work experience, unless exempt. Temporary Residence Transition stream: at least 2 years working for an approved sponsor on a 482 visa. Salary of at least $79,423 and the market salary rate. Must be:

  • Under 45, unless exempt
  • Have at least competent English, unless exempt
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) 5 years (provisional) Not required Yes, by a regional employer Yes No Occupation on the regional occupation list, a positive skills assessment and at least 3 years of relevant work experience, unless exempt. Salary of at least $79,423 and the market salary rate. Must be:

  • Under 45, unless exempt
  • Have at least competent English, unless exempt

Pathway to permanent residence through the 191 visa after 3 years.

Points tested skilled migration comparison chart

Visa type Visa duration SkillSelect expression of interest (EOI) required Sponsorship required Required to work in regional Australia Points tested visa Skill/qualification requirements Other eligibility requirements
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) Permanent SkillSelect EOI is mandatory No No Yes Occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and a positive skills assessment Must be:

  • Invited to apply
  • Under 45
  • Have at least competent English
  • Score at least 65 points
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) Permanent SkillSelect EOI is mandatory Yes, nominated by a state or territory government (5 points) No, but you must commit to living in the nominating state Yes Occupation on the state or territory list and a positive skills assessment Must be:

  • Invited to apply
  • Under 45
  • Have at least competent English
  • Score at least 65 points, including nomination points
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) 5 years (provisional) SkillSelect EOI is mandatory Yes, nominated by a state or territory government or sponsored by an eligible relative in a designated regional area (15 points) Yes Yes State nominated: occupation on the state or territory list. Family sponsored: occupation on the MLTSSL. A positive skills assessment is required. Must be:

  • Invited to apply
  • Under 45
  • Have at least competent English
  • Score at least 65 points, including nomination or sponsorship points
Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) Permanent Not required No Must have lived and worked in a designated regional area No Must have held a 491 or 494 visa for at least 3 years and complied with its conditions Must have Australian Taxation Office notices of assessment for at least 3 income years while holding the 491 or 494 visa

Other skilled pathways

  • The National Innovation visa (subclass 858) is a permanent, invitation only visa for people with an internationally recognised record of exceptional achievement. There is no points test, occupation list or age limit, but a Form 1000 nomination is required.
  • The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) lets recent graduates of Australian institutions live and work in Australia for 18 months to 3 years (longer for some passport holders) while they build towards a permanent visa.
  • Closed visas: the TSS 482 was replaced by the Skills in Demand visa on 7 December 2024, the 187 RSMS was replaced by the 494, and the 489 was replaced by the 491.

Related guides

Skilled visa guides

Book an appointment today for a detailed visa options assessment with our Registered Migration Agents in Melbourne to find more about your visa options.

Select a state below to see its requirements:

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Australia

State and territory requirements

Each state and territory has its own list of occupations, requirements and processes you must follow.

More information about the requirements and processes on how Australian states or territories nominate applicants is available.