What Are the Eligibility Requirements for the Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) in Australia?

Are you thinking of securing Australian permanent residence as a skilled professional? In that case, the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) can be a great option for you! Thousands of skilled workers from around the world fulfill their dream of Australian permanent residency through the Subclass 190 visa every year.

However! The Department of Home Affairs has certain criteria for applicants to meet, such as your occupation and skills must meet state or territory workforce needs. Apart from this, there are many other equally important visa conditions to qualify as well. This guide explains all the key eligibility requirements to consider in 2026 when applying for subclass 190 visa in Australia.

Understanding the Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)

Subclass 190 visa is a points-based visa that allows foreign individuals with specialised skills required in Australia to apply for permanent residence. This permanent skilled migration visa needs nomination by an Australian state or territory government authority. However, this nomination requirement becomes helpful as well, as it adds an extra five points to the migration points test.

Benefits Of Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)

The Subclass 190 visa is by far the most popular permanent visa among Australia’s permanent skilled visa subclasses, as it offers several benefits, including:

• You can live and work permanently in Australia.
• You can work and study in Australia without any temporary visa restrictions.
• You might be eligible for Medicare, Australia’s public healthcare program.
• You can even sponsor eligible family members to come and live with you in Australia.
• If you meet certain requirements, you can apply for Australian citizenship and enjoy benefits that are only available to Australian citizens.

Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) Eligibility Requirements

You need to meet the following requirements to qualify for this Skilled Nominated visa and get Australian permanent residence:

Be Under 45 Years of Age

Australian immigration authorities require you to be under 45 years old when you are invited to apply for the subclass 190 visa. Academics, healthcare professionals, researchers, and other qualified applicants may be eligible for an exemption. However, exemptions apply in very specific situations.

Have an eligible occupation

The department will approve your visa application if your skills are relevant to the occupations in demand in Australia. So the occupation you wish to nominate for subclass 190 must be on the relevant skilled occupation list.

However, you should not pick an occupation simply because your job title sounds interesting. Your education, work history, job responsibilities, and qualifications should also match the nominated occupation.

Have at Least Competent English

You may need to satisfy the competent English requirements and demonstrate the same to the department to be granted the subclass 190 visa. The higher your English proficiency, the more additional points you can earn in your points test.

Need a Suitable Skills Assessment

You will also need a positive skills assessment for your subclass 190 application. For that, you can use the occupation list to find the relevant ANZSCO code for your occupation, as well as the authority responsible for assessing skills in that occupation. They can confirm whether your qualifications and professional experience actually justify that you have the necessary skills for the occupation.

Submit an Expression of Interest.

You need to specifically submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the SkillSelect online system to get an invitation for subclass 190.

In the EOI application, you will have to mention personal circumstances, your education, skilled employment history, English-language ability, skills assessment, nominated occupation, etc. You might receive your invitation based on the information you provide. This invitation is valid for 60 days, and you must submit the visa application within those 60 days.

Need State or Territory Nomination

Nomination is the key requirement for subclass 190! You need a nomination by an Australian state or territory government body. Every jurisdiction has its own nomination criteria. If the state or territory nominates a candidate, the nomination can trigger the invitation to apply for the visa.

However, it is important to note that if you qualify for nomination in a state or territory, that doesn’t mean you might qualify for another one as well. Besides, the Australian government’s visa requirements and a state’s nomination requirements are not necessarily similar.

Score at Least 65 Points

Since subclass 190 is a points-tested visa, you are obliged to meet the minimum points threshold, which is currently set at 65 points.

These points are calculated by assessing age, employment experience, educational qualifications, English-language proficiency, specialist educational qualifications, and many other factors.

A state or territory nomination for subclass 190 will add another 5 points in the points test, which can help strengthen your visa application.

Most applicants believe that simply meeting the 65-point threshold right away qualifies them for an invitation. That is not the case, though. You must meet the 65-point threshold, which is mandatory, but this does not guarantee nomination.

Meet Health and Character Requirements

You and, if your family members are accompanying you on this visa, all need to satisfy Australia’s health requirements.

Along with this, you must meet Australia’s character requirements. Nevertheless, your family members may only need to meet the character requirements if they are 16 or older.

Final Thoughts

The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is a direct pathway to Australian permanent residence for skilled professionals. However, to be eligible for this visa, you need more than just 65 points! The Department requires you to meet a long list of criteria, which includes being nominated by an Australian state or territory, being under 45 years of age, nominating an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list, holding a suitable skills assessment, meeting the English-language requirement, and much more. Besides, state and territory governments have their own extensive nomination criteria as well.

But you don’t need to worry! If you want to apply for a Subclass 190 visa, Ozee Migration can help you with that! Our registered migration agents can assist you in finding out whether you meet the visa eligibility requirements, preparing required documentation, and even submitting a complete application. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and get professional advice to explore the Subclass 190 visa process smoothly!

Recommend Read: Top 10 Benefits of Permanent Residency (PR) in Australia