Skilled Nominated 190 visa: state nomination strategy for 2026-27

The subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa is a permanent, points-tested visa for skilled workers nominated by an Australian state or territory government. Nomination adds five points to your points score and brings a commitment, express or understood, to live and work in the nominating state. For the 2026-27 program year, the strategic question is not only whether you qualify federally, but which state to target, because each one runs its own occupation lists, selection process and eligibility rules on top of the federal criteria.

The 190 has two gates, and they are assessed by different decision-makers

A subclass 190 application sits on two separate assessments. The first is the federal points test and the visa criteria in the Migration Regulations 1994 (https://www.legislation.gov.au/F1996B03551/latest/text), administered by the Department of Home Affairs. The points test is given statutory force by the Migration Act 1958 (https://www.legislation.gov.au/C1958A00062/latest/text). You need a positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation, which must be classified under ANZSCO, competent English, an age under the prescribed limit, and enough points to be invited.

The second gate is state nomination. A state or territory government decides, under its own published criteria, whether to nominate you. That decision is separate from the visa grant. If a state declines to nominate, the Department never sees a valid 190 application, because nomination is a criterion for the visa. This split matters because meeting the federal threshold does not entitle you to nomination, and a strong state profile does not excuse a federal shortfall.

State nomination is a commitment, not a visa condition

A common misunderstanding is that the 190 legally ties you to the nominating state. It does not carry a visa condition that forces residence there. The visa is permanent and, once granted, you have the same freedom of movement within Australia as other permanent residents.

What does bind you is the undertaking you give to the state. Most states and territories ask applicants to declare an intention to live and work in that jurisdiction, often for a set initial period, and some ask for a post-arrival commitment survey. Giving a state an intention you do not hold creates real exposure. The declarations you make to a state, and the points you claim to the Department, must be accurate. If a nomination was obtained on incorrect information, a state can withdraw it, and a withdrawn nomination before decision can sink the visa. The practical rule is to target a state you are prepared to move to and remain in, not the one with the shortest list.

Choosing a state is the real strategy

Because each state sets its own rules, the 190 rewards a targeted approach rather than mass applications. Several variables move independently between jurisdictions and across the program year.

Occupation lists differ. A state will only nominate for occupations it has chosen to support, and those lists are narrower than the broad federal skilled lists. An occupation open in one state may be closed in the next, and a list can close mid-year once an allocation is exhausted.

Selection processes differ. Several states no longer accept open applications. Instead they invite candidates to apply after a registration of interest or a ranking round, weighting factors such as local work experience, local study, English level, points score and whether the occupation is a priority. A high points score alone may not secure an invitation where a state ranks on other criteria.

Eligibility overlays differ. Some states require current or recent employment in the state, a period of residence, a job offer, or minimum work experience in the nominated occupation. These sit on top of the federal requirements, not instead of them.

Program allocations reset each year. State and territory nomination places are allocated annually, usually from the start of the program year on 1 July. Early in the cycle more places are available; late in the cycle lists narrow or close. Check each state’s current position before you commit time to a particular target.

Where the 190 sits against the 189 and 491

The 190 is one of three points-tested skilled routes, and the choice between them is a planning decision. The subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa needs no sponsor or nominator and imposes no geographic expectation, but it is harder to reach on points because it offers no nomination boost. The subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa is temporary, is nominated by a state or sponsored by an eligible relative, and requires you to live and work in a designated regional area before you can seek permanent residence later. The 190 sits between them: permanent like the 189, but with the five-point lift and state commitment of a nominated pathway.

The application charges are close. The subclass 190 base application charge is $6,140 for the main applicant as at 25 September 2026 (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing), with an additional $3,070 for each secondary applicant aged 18 or over and $1,535 for each secondary applicant under 18, both as at 25 September 2026 (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing). The subclass 189 main applicant charge is $6,135 as at 25 September 2026 (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing), and the subclass 491 main applicant charge is $6,140 as at 25 September 2026 (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing). The charges move, so confirm the current figures with the Department before you lodge, and note that these are visa application charges, separate from any skills assessment or English test cost you pay to third parties.

A practical sequence for 2026-27

Start with the skills assessment, because it fixes your nominated occupation and must be classified under ANZSCO. If the occupation does not map to the right assessing authority, nothing downstream works. See our note on the skill assessment step for how the assessing authority is chosen.

Next, confirm which states support your occupation this program year and read their selection criteria closely, not a summary. Match your profile to the state most likely to rank or invite you, and that you are prepared to move to. Then lodge an expression of interest through SkillSelect and, where a state requires it, a separate registration of interest with that state.

Only after a state issues nomination and you receive an invitation do you lodge the visa application, within the time stated in the invitation. Those deadlines are strict, and an invitation that lapses is lost. A measured, state-specific plan beats a scattergun one, because the places are limited and the criteria are not uniform.

If you are weighing the 190 against other skilled routes, our team can assess your points position, your occupation and the best state to target. Read more about the points-tested options on our skilled visas page, then book a consultation to map your pathway for 2026-27.

General information only, current at the date shown. It is not legal advice on your situation. To get advice on your matter, book a consultation.