Australia 190 State Nomination: Compare Eligibility, Selection and Evidence
Updated: Oct 26
Choosing a state for a subclass 190 application involves two checks: whether you meet the federal visa requirements, and whether you meet that state's current nomination requirements. A state that suits your occupation may still be unsuitable for your actual residence, evidence or settlement plans. Compare documented eligibility before comparing advertised scores or other people's results.
Start with the visa, then the state
Home Affairs describes subclass 190 as a permanent visa for nominated skilled workers. Its overview identifies an eligible occupation, a suitable skills assessment, an invitation and the points test as requirements. The visa allows work and study anywhere in Australia. A state's nomination commitments need separate consideration; they should not be presented as a universal geographical restriction on the federal visa.
The SkillSelect score is based on your entries. Meeting the minimum threshold does not guarantee an invitation, and nomination is not a visa grant. Prepare evidence for the claims rather than assuming that a state invitation confirms every federal requirement.
Compare these questions using the same personal background
For each jurisdiction, record the current program year, visa subclass and applicant category. Check whether your occupation is eligible federally and whether the state applies another occupation, industry or selection filter. Use your actual skills-assessment occupation and duties, rather than a similar job title in a vacancy advertisement.
Then compare your present location and any required residence or employment history. Distinguish an eligibility requirement from a ranking factor: something that improves selection prospects is not necessarily mandatory, and meeting an entry criterion is not a promise of selection. Mark a condition as unresolved if you cannot support it from the relevant official page and your own records.
NSW and Victoria use different selection processes
The following examples reflect the official pages checked on 26 October 2026. They illustrate why a single nomination checklist cannot be copied across states. They are not a complete eligibility assessment for either state.
State selection example | What to check |
|---|---|
New South Wales | Selection from eligible EOIs; no direct nomination application. An invitation to apply for NSW nomination is valid for 14 days and is not extended. Check NSW occupation and residence criteria. |
Victoria | EOI plus a separate ROI before selection to apply for nomination. Check current-year registration, the Victorian residence or offshore category, and evidence validity. ROI selection is not nomination approval. |
NSW's current page requires a suitable assessed occupation that is both eligible for the visa and within an ANZSCO unit group on its skills list. Its onshore residence alternatives include remunerated work in the nominated occupation in NSW for at least 20 hours a week, or residence in NSW for at least six continuous months. Its offshore criterion requires at least six continuous months living offshore. Apply the alternative relevant to your actual circumstances, rather than combining parts of different categories.
Victoria's current page allows applicants living in Victoria or overseas. Onshore applicants living in another Australian state or territory are generally not selected, with case-by-case exceptions for border communities. Victoria says employment is not required for subclass 190 nomination eligibility and there is no minimum work-experience or hours requirement. Claims for Victorian earnings have separate conditions. Do not turn earnings ranking information into a universal job-offer requirement.
Check evidence validity at the nomination stage
Victoria currently requires at least 12 weeks of validity remaining on the English test and skills assessment when the nomination application is submitted. It cannot nominate using expired evidence. This state-stage requirement needs its own timetable; it is not enough to check only the final visa application date.
Match the assessment occupation to the EOI and follow the authority responsible for that occupation. Professional registration and migration skills assessment have different purposes. Do not assume that registration with a professional regulator is automatically the assessment required for every occupation or visa claim.
NSW also requires valid evidence supporting EOI claims when applying following its invitation. Record the actual dates of your tests, assessment and employment evidence alongside the state invitation deadline. If a document is nearing expiry, check the applicable stage before paying for another report or assuming an exception applies.
EOI and ROI records need separate management
For Victoria, the current process is an EOI, an ROI, selection to apply for nomination, the nomination application and then the federal visa stage. The 2026–27 program is open for subclass 190 ROIs. Its ROI guidance requires a new ROI if you applied in a previous program year and want consideration in 2026–27. Do not assume an old account record means you have registered for the current year.
If only EOI information changes, Victoria does not require a new ROI unless information on the ROI itself changes. A new EOI number requires withdrawing the old ROI and submitting a new one. If invited to apply for nomination and you need to change the EOI, follow Victoria's instruction to contact it first. Keep both systems and reference numbers aligned.
Separate settlement commitments from visa conditions
Read the declaration for the state you actually select. Victoria's current page requires a commitment to living and working there for at least two years. That verified Victorian commitment should not be copied into a statement that every state has an identical two-year rule.
Consider whether the household can realistically make the promised move: the partner's employment, children's schooling, housing and available work all matter. State nomination is not something to obtain using a residence intention that does not reflect your plans. If circumstances later change, review the actual declaration and applicable advice rather than relying on a generic statement about every state.
Build an application budget without inventing a common funds threshold
Separate skills assessment, English testing, relevant state charges, visa charges, medical checks, police certificates, translations and agreed professional fees. Victoria's current page says fees apply to both the ROI and nomination application. Confirm the current fee schedule before payment; charges from one state are not a national nomination fee.
Housing, travel and a job-search reserve form a separate settlement budget. A planning estimate is not a statutory bank-balance threshold. If a state requests financial evidence, identify the actual rule and applicant category instead of using a general amount said to apply to every subclass 190 family.
Bring a short profile and your evidence dates to an initial discussion with 卓越移民 Premiervisa Group. A useful comparison records what is supported now, what needs confirmation and the next action for each suitable state. Invitations and visa decisions remain with the responsible governments; professional assistance cannot guarantee either outcome.
Sources checked
Article and official-source review: 26 October 2026. Recheck the relevant program and personal invitation before taking an application step.
Home Affairs: Skilled Nominated visa, overview https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-nominated-190
Home Affairs: Expression of Interest https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skillselect/expression-of-interest
NSW Government: Skilled Nominated visa https://www.nsw.gov.au/visas-and-migration/skilled-visas/skilled-nominated-visa-subclass-190
Victorian Government: Subclass 190 nomination requirements https://liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au/migrate/skilled-migration-visas/skilled-nominated-visa-subclass-190
Victorian Government: ROI and data changes https://liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au/migrate/skilled-migration-visas/registration-of-interest-for-victorian-state-visa-nomination
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