Within the General Skilled Migration visa program are state or territory nominated visas. In the General Skilled Migration visa program, there are 3 categories, the Subclass 189, Subclass 190 and Subclass 491.
The two visas which require nomination from a State or Territory Government are:
You must be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation to apply. You must have achieved a minimum of Competent English.
To be eligible for these visas, your occupation must be on the specified occupation list and you must satisfy the Skilled Migration Points Test for the occupation. The minimum points threshold across all occupations is 65 points, with points awarded based on factors such as your:
- Age
- English language ability
- Qualifications
- Employment experience
- Partner’s skills
If your points are low, you may wish to apply for special invitation/nomination from the State or Territory you wish to live in which will give you an extra 5 points. If you express an interest to reside in a regional area for the Subclass 491 visa, then you can get an extra 15 points.
There are several stages to the General Skilled Migration visa program.
- Skills Assessment – you must first be assessed as qualified to perform the occupation. Each occupation has its own assessing authority who will assess your level of experience and qualifications. A positive result must be received before proceeding to the next step.
- Expression of Interest (‘EOI’) (+ State/Territory Nomination if required) – an EOI is required for the Governments to select the top candidates in monthly rounds. They will pick the candidates with the most points to pass through to the next round. Sometimes, candidates are waiting for 2 years and still do not receive an invitation. Currently, due to COVID, the Government is conducting quarterly rounds.
- Visa Application – you can then lodge your visa application within 60 days of receiving an invitation
