Tasmania Nomination for Subclass 489

Tasmania Nomination for Subclass 489

Update (October 2026)

The Skilled Regional (subclass 489) visa closed to new applications on 16 November 2019 and was replaced by the Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa. Tasmania no longer nominates for the 489 visa, and its current 190 and 491 nomination uses different pathways and criteria. See our Tasmania State Nomination (2026-27) page for current requirements.

Subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for state nomination, you must meet the following requirements set out by the Department of Home Affairs. You must have:

not yet turned 45 years of age
nominated an eligible occupation on the 489 visa for 2018
a valid and positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation
at least ‘Competent’ English language proficiency
at least 65 points (as of 1 July 2018) on the points test
- You can also find out how many points you can claim through the Interactive Points Calculator

Requirements

If you are nominated by the Tasmanian Government for this visa you must commit to living in Tasmania for two years after your visa has been granted.

You must also meet any one of the following minimum requirements:

Tasmania 489 nomination categories (historical)

Category 1: Tasmanian graduate

To be considered for this category, you must meet the following criteria:

completed and graduated from a CRICOS registered tertiary institution in Tasmania. The course undertaken:
- must be either a degree (a bachelor or any higher degree), a diploma, an advanced diploma, or a trade qualification (minimum Cert III level for a skilled occupation in Major Group 3 in ANZSCO)
- must have a minimum duration of one academic year (40 weeks)
- must be full time and on site in Tasmania.
you and your dependants are currently in Tasmania and can provide evidence of genuine commitment to living in Tasmania. Please refer to disclaimer at the bottom of this page for indicators as to how to meet this requirement.
lived in the state for at least 12 months during your period of study (evidence needs to be provided).

Category 2: Working in Tasmania

To be considered for this category you must meet the following criteria:

working in Tasmania for three months immediately prior to your application for state nomination. You do not have to be working in your nominated occupation
at least 35 hours per week in one full-time job or in two or more part-time jobs
able to provide evidence of your employment claims (see Document Checklist – Employment for more details)
employment fills a genuine skill shortage in Tasmania

The employer you are employed with must have been actively operating their business in Tasmania for the past 12 months.

If your employment is for a position at ANZSCO skill level 4 or below, your employer must also provide evidence that no local person was able to fill the position. (See ‘Document Checklist – Employment’ for evidence your employer would have to provide that you would need to submit together with your application for state nomination).

Category 3A: Overseas applicant (TSOL)

To be considered for this category you must be living overseas and meet the following criteria:

nominated occupation is listed on the Tasmanian Skilled Occupations List (TSOL)
you, or any of your dependants have not lived in another Australian state or territory within the last twelve months
achieved at least ‘Proficient English’ in a recognised English language test or hold a passport of the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada or New Zealand
researched the Tasmanian labour market and provide evidence (see Document Checklist – Employability) that there are sufficient employment opportunities (at least five and not more than eight opportunities) in your nominated occupation in Tasmania and that you have:
- skills and recent experience relevant to the researched employment opportunities
- skills and experience relevant to the Tasmanian economy
- access to sufficient financial assets to fund your migration and settlement in Tasmania while you seek employment

If your application is one of ‘high calibre’, and the Tasmanian Government is satisfied that you will be able to secure employment with ease due to your skills and previous work experience, you may be invited to apply for the Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated visa. Each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis and factors which would be considered to determine ‘high calibre’ applications includes, but not limited to, points claimed, English language competency, financial assets available for migration, evidence of interest from Tasmanian employers to employ you, level of skill shortage for your nominated occupation in Tasmania, and skills of dependants.

*On arrival in Tasmania, you need to be realistic about employment expectations as it can take up to three months to secure employment. The time it takes to gain employment will depend on several factors including the time of the year, skills, experience, employer requirements and your level of English language ability. You will compete for employment vacancies with all people in the labour market as part of a normal selection process. You should ensure that you have sufficient financials available to support yourself and your family during this time.

Category 3B: Overseas applicant (Job offer)

To be considered for this category you must be living overseas and meet the following criteria:

received a formal job offer for a job that is based in Tasmania that is in-line with your nominated occupation
you, or any of your dependents have not lived in another Australian state or territory within the last twelve months
the employer offering you employment must have been actively operating their business in Tasmania for the past 12 months
there needs to be a genuine need for your position within the business. This may be satisfied if there is:
- an existing, current and genuine need for your position within the business
- an ongoing need for your position and the capacity for the business to sustain the nominated position.

Category 4: Family in Tasmania

To be considered for this category you must have a family member who:

is an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen
has lived as a permanent resident or an Australian citizen in Tasmania for 12 months or more
is your parent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, first cousin or grandparent
agrees to support you when you arrive in Tasmania and assist you in the process of gaining employment in Tasmania.

Category 5: Small business owner

To be considered for this category you need to have a genuine intention to establish a business in Tasmania. This cannot be the establishment of a franchise nor purchase of an existing business, either part or whole, in Tasmania.

You would need to:

submit a comprehensive business plan with your application
strongly demonstrate your past business or management experience in an industry at least closely related to your proposed business
provide evidence that you have substantial financial capacity to operate your business in Tasmania.

Tasmania Nomination for Subclass 489

Update (October 2026)

Subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa

Eligibility

Requirements

Tasmania 489 nomination categories (historical)

Related guides

Australian Migration News: October 2026 Update

Student visa changes from 2 October 2026

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