Skilled Nominated Visa Subclass 190: Requirements, Points and How to Apply
The Skilled Nominated Visa Subclass 190 is a permanent residence visa for skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian state or territory government. Home Affairs describes it as a visa that lets nominated skilled workers live and work in Australia as permanent residents. Because a state government has to choose you first, it works differently from independent skilled visas, and many applicants lose time by approaching it in the wrong order.
This page explains the subclass 190 in plain terms: who can apply, how the points test works, what state nomination really involves, which occupations are eligible, what to prepare for a skills assessment, what the visa costs, and why applications are refused. It is written for skilled workers in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Europe and Australia who want to understand the pathway before spending money on it.
If you would like your profile reviewed by a person, Migration Factor offers a free consultation. You can request a free consultation through our contact form. Nothing on this page guarantees an invitation, a nomination or a visa grant, and the rules and state settings can change, so please treat this as a guide to planning rather than a final answer for your case.
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What the Subclass 190 Visa Is
The subclass 190 is a points tested permanent visa. Holders can live, work and study anywhere in Australia, access Medicare, sponsor eligible relatives and later apply for citizenship if they meet the requirements. Unlike the Skilled Independent visa, you cannot apply for it on your own initiative. A state or territory must nominate you first, and the nomination adds points to your score.
The nomination comes with an expectation. States nominate people because they want skills in their local economy, so they expect you to live and work in the nominating state for an initial period, commonly two years. The visa itself is permanent and not tied to one state by condition, but the commitment is real, and states take it seriously because it affects how they allocate places.
The visa is part of a family of skilled migration pathways. It is different from the Skilled Work Regional provisional visa, which is temporary and carries a regional condition, and from the independent and employer sponsored routes. A consultation can help you compare these before you commit to a path.
Who the Visa Is For
The subclass 190 suits people who have skills that are in demand in a particular state, a positive skills assessment and enough points. Typical applicants include:
- Engineers, IT professionals, accountants and other professionals with a recognised qualification
- Health and education workers whose occupations are prioritised by states
- Tradespeople with a formal assessment and relevant experience
- Skilled workers already in Australia on a temporary visa who want permanent residence
- Overseas applicants with strong English, work experience and qualifications aligned with a state's priorities
Applicants from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka make up a large share of skilled migration enquiries, and the competition for places is real. The rules do not favour or restrict applicants by nationality, so the same criteria apply wherever you live. What differs is how easily you can document your experience and how competitive your occupation is.
Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
The main requirements for the subclass 190 are:
- You are invited by the state or territory to apply, after being nominated
- Your nominated occupation is eligible for the state that nominates you
- You hold a positive skills assessment for that occupation from the relevant assessing authority
- You are under 45 when you are invited to apply
- You have at least competent English
- You meet the minimum points score, which is 65 including the points for state nomination
- You meet health and character requirements, and so do any family members who apply with you
- You submit an expression of interest in SkillSelect and receive an invitation
Minimum points and occupation settings are set by the Department and the states, so please confirm them at the time you apply. Many applicants find that the minimum is only the starting line. In competitive occupations, states tend to invite people with scores well above the minimum.
How the Points Test Works
The points test awards points for factors such as age, English language ability, skilled employment, qualifications, partner skills, study in Australia and certain other categories. The categories and values are set by the Department.
Applicants should note three practical points.
- The pass mark of 65 includes the five points added for state nomination. That means many applicants need roughly 60 points before nomination and rely on the nomination bonus to reach the threshold. Some sources describe this differently, so please verify the current wording on the Home Affairs site.
- Points must be provable. You claim them in your expression of interest, but you need evidence when you lodge the visa. Claiming points you cannot prove is one of the most common causes of refusal.
- Points can change. Your age band can change on your birthday, an English test result can expire, and work experience may count differently from year to year, so recalculate before you lodge.
Improving English is often the fastest way to add points. A higher test band can increase your score by more than some other changes combined. A skills assessment that recognises more years of work experience can also add points, as can a partner with a positive skills assessment and competent English.
State and Territory Nomination
State nomination is the heart of the subclass 190. Each state and territory sets its own rules about who it wants, and those rules differ in important ways.
Common features include:
- A list of occupations the state is willing to nominate, which can be shorter than the national list
- Different requirements for applicants who are already in the state and those who are overseas
- Requirements for work experience, qualifications or residency in the state before nomination
- A registration process, sometimes called a registration of interest, before the state invites you to apply for nomination
- A limited number of nomination places each program year, which means states can open and close pathways as places fill
- Their own fees and deadlines for the nomination application
The sequence usually runs like this. You get a skills assessment, calculate points, submit an expression of interest in SkillSelect and, where required, a registration with the state. If the state wants to nominate you, it invites you to apply for nomination. Once the nomination is approved, you receive an invitation from the Department to lodge the visa application. You generally have 60 days from that invitation to lodge, and the period cannot be extended.
Because state settings change often, a pathway that was open last year may be closed this year, and the reverse is also true. Check each state's official website before you decide where to aim, and be prepared for the possibility that your occupation is not accepted in the state that suits you best.
Occupation Lists and Skills Assessments
Your occupation must be on the list that applies to the state that nominates you. National skilled occupation lists have changed in recent years, and the current system uses the Core Skills Occupation List as the base, with states publishing their own subsets for nomination. Confirm the current lists directly with Home Affairs and your target state, because older material that refers to previous lists is out of date.
Each occupation has an assessing authority. Engineers, IT professionals, accountants, trades workers and teachers use different bodies, each with its own requirements, fees and processing times. A skills assessment checks that your qualifications and experience match the occupation, and the outcome affects both your eligibility and your points.
A few practical tips for the assessment stage:
- Pick the occupation that genuinely matches your duties, not the one that looks easiest to get into
- Read the assessing authority's guidelines before you start, because they often specify how employment evidence must be presented
- Gather reference letters, payslips, tax records and contracts that agree with each other
- Check that your qualification is recognised and that your job titles and duties line up with the occupation description
- Allow plenty of time, because assessments can take months
Applicants from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka should pay close attention to employment evidence. Assessors look for consistency between reference letters, salary records and tax documents. Where records are informal or incomplete, a clear explanation and supporting documents can make the difference.
English Language Requirements
You must have at least competent English to be eligible. The Department accepts approved tests such as IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, OET and Cambridge tests, and the score you need is set in the regulations. Higher scores earn extra points, so the test result matters twice, first as a threshold and then as a way to add points.
Some practical advice:
- Check the validity period of your test result, because most expire after a set time
- Book a test with enough time to resit if you fall short
- Some assessing authorities and states set their own English requirements, so check them as well
- Applicants who hold a passport from a recognised English speaking country can have different evidence requirements, so check which applies to you
Family members aged 18 and over who apply with you may need to show a level of English, or the Department may impose an additional charge at the time of grant if functional English is not shown. Confirm how this affects your family before you lodge.
Expression of Interest and Invitation Rounds
Everything starts with an expression of interest, called an EOI, in SkillSelect. The EOI records your occupation, points, English, work history and the visa subclass you are interested in. It is not an application, and it does not guarantee that anyone will invite you.
For the subclass 190, invitations come after a state or territory selects you. There is no single national round with a published cut off score, so the idea of waiting for the next round needs to be understood in the context of each state's process. Some states invite applicants in rounds, some take a continuous approach and some require a registration first. Check each state's website for how it selects people and what its current settings are.
Because invitations depend on points, occupation, state priorities and available places, two people with the same score can have very different outcomes. Keep your EOI current, update points when your circumstances change, and watch for state announcements.
Documents Checklist
You will need documents at several stages, from the skills assessment to the state nomination to the visa application. A solid checklist includes:
- Passport and identity documents for you and every family member included in the application
- Skills assessment outcome letter from the assessing authority
- English test results that are valid at the time of lodgement
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates
- Employment evidence: reference letters, contracts, payslips, tax records and bank statements that support your claimed experience
- Evidence of points claims, such as partner skills, study in Australia or other categories
- The state nomination approval or its details
- Relationship documents, such as marriage certificates, and birth certificates for children
- Police certificates from each country where you have lived for the required period
- Health examination results when requested
- Certified English translations of any document that is not in English
Names, dates and employment periods must match across documents. A mismatch between your passport, your employment letters and your assessment can trigger additional questions and delays, so check them before you lodge.
How to Apply Step by Step
The usual sequence for the subclass 190 is below.
Identify your occupation and confirm it is eligible and which states may nominate it.
Check your points score and what you can improve, such as English or work experience.
Apply for a skills assessment with the correct assessing authority.
Sit an approved English test if you have not already done so.
Submit an expression of interest in SkillSelect for the subclass 190.
Follow the state or territory process, including any registration or nomination application and fee.
Receive the nomination and the Department's invitation to apply.
Lodge the visa application through ImmiAccount within the time limit, with all documents.
Complete health examinations and biometrics if requested, and provide police certificates.
Respond promptly to requests for further information and wait for the decision.
Visa Costs and Related Expenses
The visa application charge changed on 1 July 2026. Migration sources report that the subclass 190 base charge for the primary applicant is now AUD 6,140, up from AUD 4,910, with AUD 3,070 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 1,535 for each additional applicant under 18. These figures come from practitioner and fee tracking sources, so please confirm the exact amounts in the Visa Pricing Estimator before you pay.
The visa charge is only one part of the total cost. Budget also for:
- The skills assessment fee
- English test fees
- State nomination or registration fees, which vary by state
- Health examinations and police certificates
- Certified translations and document preparation
- Professional assistance, if you choose to use it
- Travel, relocation and the costs of settling in your nominating state
Charges are not refunded if your application is refused. Planning for the full budget helps you avoid being caught short, especially if your family is applying with you.
Processing Time Guidance
Processing time for the subclass 190 is hard to predict, and different websites quote very different figures. Some report processing in the range of eight to twelve months, while others quote much longer periods for the full application. Home Affairs publishes a global processing times tool that reflects recently decided cases, and it is the right place to check. Even then, the tool shows how earlier applications were handled, not how yours will be.
Time also builds up in earlier stages. A skills assessment can take months, a state may take a long time to invite you, and there is a limited window after invitation to lodge. A realistic plan considers the full journey from skills assessment to grant, not just the final visa decision.
Permanent Residency Benefits and Obligations
The subclass 190 grants permanent residence. Holders can usually live and work anywhere in Australia, access public healthcare through Medicare, study, sponsor eligible family members and later apply for citizenship subject to residence requirements. There is also a travel facility that allows entry for a period, and after that period, you need a resident return visa or citizenship to travel and return as a resident.
Most states expect you to live and work in the nominating state for at least an initial period. If you leave early, it does not automatically cancel your visa, but it can affect your credibility if you try to use a nomination again, and it can affect how states view future applicants. Take the commitment seriously.
Subclass 190 Compared With Other Pathways
Many people applying for the 190 are also considering other visas, so a quick comparison helps.
- Skilled Independent visa. No nomination needed, but you must score high enough on points to be invited, which can be very competitive.
- Skilled Work Regional visa. A provisional visa with a regional condition and a pathway to permanent residence later. It earns more points from nomination, but it is not permanent from the start.
- Employer sponsored visas. Tied to a job offer from an Australian employer rather than to a state nomination.
The right pathway depends on your occupation, your points, your location and your risk tolerance. A consultation can help you weigh them before you pay for assessments and fees.
Common Reasons Applications Are Refused
Refusals and failed nominations come from a limited number of causes. Understanding them helps you avoid avoidable mistakes.
- Points claimed in the EOI cannot be proven at the time of application
- A skills assessment that does not match the nominated occupation or has expired
- English test results that do not meet the required level or are no longer valid
- Employment evidence that is inconsistent, vague or unverifiable
- Failing the age requirement when invited
- A state nomination that is withdrawn or does not match the application
- Missing the 60 day deadline after invitation
- Health or character concerns that are not resolved
- Incomplete or inconsistent documents, including mismatched names and dates
- False or misleading information, which can have serious long term consequences
Many of these are fixable before you lodge. The best protection is to treat the EOI as a legal declaration, keep an evidence file for every claim and check your points again before you lodge.
Considerations for Applicants From South Asia and Europe
Pakistani and Indian applicants often face the same practical challenges: documenting years of experience from employers that issue informal letters, obtaining police certificates and attested documents, arranging translations and managing long lead times for assessments. The best approach is to start collecting evidence early and to be careful about how roles and dates are described.
Applicants from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka face similar issues and should also check whether their occupation is accepted by the assessing authority they plan to use. European applicants commonly have stronger English evidence and well recognised qualifications, but competition for places in popular occupations still applies.
For overseas applicants, some states give preference to people who already have a connection to the state, such as a job offer or study history. For applicants already in Australia, local work experience can strengthen both points and state eligibility. No country has a separate set of rules for the subclass 190, so what matters is your occupation, evidence and points.
How Professional Help Can Assist
A migration professional cannot change the rules, guarantee an invitation or make a state nominate you. What a good adviser can do is help you choose an occupation and assessing body, calculate points honestly, identify which states may suit your profile, plan evidence for the assessment and visa stages, check documents for consistency, and advise you on what to do if your situation changes.
That kind of review is most useful before you pay for skills assessments and fees, because many of those costs cannot be recovered if your plan does not work. Make sure anyone you pay for immigration advice in Australia is appropriately authorised, and ask to see their registration details.
Why Consider Migration Factor
Migration Factor provides information and assistance on Australian visa pathways, including skilled migration. We offer a free consultation where you can talk through your occupation, points, documents and options before deciding on your next step. To arrange one, request a free consultation through our contact form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Skilled Nominated Visa Subclass 190?
It is a permanent visa for skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian state or territory. You need a positive skills assessment, enough points, competent English and an invitation to apply.
What are the subclass 190 visa requirements?
You must be nominated by a state or territory, hold a positive skills assessment, be under 45 when invited, have competent English, meet the points requirement and satisfy health and character checks.
What is the points requirement for the 190 visa?
The pass mark is 65 points, which includes five points for state nomination. Higher scores are often needed in competitive occupations, so check each state's requirements.
How does state nomination work for the 190 visa?
You submit an expression of interest and follow the process of a state or territory, which may include registration. If the state nominates you, you receive an invitation to apply for the visa. States usually expect you to live and work in their state for an initial period.
Which occupations are eligible for the 190 visa?
Eligible occupations depend on the national list and each state's own list. Check the current lists with Home Affairs and the state you are targeting, because they change.
How long does the subclass 190 visa take to process?
There is no fixed time, and sources quote different ranges. Home Affairs publishes a processing times tool that gives an indication only. Remember that skills assessment and state nomination add time before the visa application begins.
How much does the 190 visa cost?
Sources report that the base charge for the primary applicant is AUD 6,140 from 1 July 2026, with AUD 3,070 for each additional adult and AUD 1,535 for each additional child. Confirm your exact amount in the Visa Pricing Estimator. State and assessment fees are separate, and charges are not refunded after refusal.
How do invitation rounds work for the 190 visa?
There is no single national round with a published cut off for the subclass 190. States select applicants from SkillSelect and their own processes, so timing and scores vary by state. Check each state's website for its current approach.
What English level do I need for the 190 visa?
You need at least competent English from an approved test, and higher scores earn extra points. Some assessing authorities and states set their own requirements as well.
What documents do I need for the 190 visa?
Typically your passport, skills assessment, English results, qualifications, employment evidence, state nomination, relationship documents, police certificates and health examination results. More may be requested.
Does the 190 visa give permanent residency?
Yes. It is a permanent visa. Holders can live and work in Australia, access Medicare and later apply for citizenship if they meet the requirements. States usually expect an initial period of living and working in the nominating state.
Can Pakistani and Indian applicants apply for the 190 visa?
Yes. The same requirements apply to all nationalities. What matters is your occupation, skills assessment, points and evidence, and you should prepare employment and identity documents carefully.
Why is a 190 visa application refused?
Common causes include unproven points claims, skills assessment problems, inconsistent employment evidence, expired English results, missed deadlines, withdrawn nominations and false information.
Next Step
If you are weighing occupations, working out your points or deciding which state to target, request a free consultation with Migration Factor through our contact form. Please bring your resume, qualifications, English test results and any skills assessment outcome so the conversation can be specific.
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